The European Journal of Medical Practitioners (EJMP) is committed to ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in authorship. The journal follows the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regarding authorship and contributorship. All listed authors must have made significant scholarly contributions to the submitted work and share responsibility for its content.

Authorship Criteria

EJMP adopts the authorship criteria established by the ICMJE. To qualify as an author, each individual should meet all of the following criteria:

• Make a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the study, or to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
• Participate in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
• Approve the final version of the manuscript before submission and publication.
• Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work and ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the research are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Individuals who do not meet all of these criteria should not be listed as authors but may be acknowledged for their contributions.

Contributorship Statement

Authors are required to submit an Author Contribution Statement clearly describing the specific contribution of each author. Contributions may include study design, data collection, statistical analysis, manuscript preparation, supervision, funding acquisition, or other significant scholarly activities.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all contributions are accurately reported.

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author serves as the primary contact between the journal and all co-authors throughout the editorial and publication process. The corresponding author is responsible for:

• Ensuring that all listed authors meet the journal's authorship criteria.
• Obtaining approval of the final manuscript from all co-authors.
• Confirming that all required ethical declarations and submission documents are complete.
• Managing communication with the Editorial Office during peer review and publication.
• Responding promptly to editorial queries and post-publication issues.

Acknowledgments

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not satisfy the authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately. Examples include technical assistance, language editing, administrative support, data collection assistance, or financial support.

Authors should obtain permission from acknowledged individuals before including their names.

Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or rearrange authors after manuscript submission must be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office.

Such requests must include:

• A clear explanation for the proposed change.
• Written consent from all existing and proposed authors.
• Approval from the Editor-in-Chief before any modification is made.

Changes to authorship after acceptance will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and in accordance with COPE guidance.

Authorship Disputes

The journal does not arbitrate disputes concerning authorship. In cases of disagreement, authors are encouraged to resolve the matter through their institutions before or during the editorial process.

Where necessary, the Editorial Office may suspend the review or publication process until the dispute has been satisfactorily resolved.

Unacceptable Authorship Practices

EJMP does not permit unethical authorship practices, including:

• Gift (Honorary) Authorship: Listing individuals who have not made substantial scholarly contributions.
• Ghost Authorship: Omitting individuals who made significant contributions to the research or manuscript.
• Guest Authorship: Including prominent individuals solely to increase the likelihood of publication.
• Misrepresentation of individual contributions.

Confirmed violations may result in manuscript rejection, correction, retraction, or notification of the authors' institutions, as appropriate.

Accountability and Responsibility

All authors share collective responsibility for the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of the published work. Each author should be able to identify their individual contribution and have confidence in the integrity of the contributions made by their co-authors.

If concerns regarding authorship or research integrity arise, authors are expected to cooperate fully with any investigation conducted by the Editorial Office.

Compliance with International Standards

The European Journal of Medical Practitioners (EJMP) requires all authors to comply with the authorship and contributorship recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the ethical guidance provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Adherence to these standards promotes transparency, accountability, and trust in scholarly publishing while ensuring appropriate recognition of all contributors to scientific research.