The European Journal of Medical Practitioners (EJMP) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of editorial quality, transparency, integrity, and ethical publishing. The Editorial Office manages all submitted manuscripts through a fair, confidential, and efficient editorial process in accordance with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing.

Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made independently and are based solely on the scientific quality, originality, ethical compliance, and relevance of the submitted manuscript. Editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial interests, institutional affiliations, sponsorship, or personal relationships.

Initial Editorial Assessment

Each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial screening to determine whether it:

• Falls within the aims and scope of the journal.
• Meets the journal's formatting and submission requirements.
• Demonstrates scientific merit and originality.
• Complies with ethical and publication standards.
• Includes all required submission documents.

Manuscripts that do not satisfy these basic requirements may be returned to the authors for correction or declined without external peer review.

Peer Review Management

EJMP follows a single-blind peer-review process to ensure an objective and impartial evaluation of submitted manuscripts.

The Editorial Office is responsible for:

• Selecting qualified reviewers with relevant subject expertise.
• Monitoring the peer-review process.
• Ensuring timely completion of reviews.
• Maintaining reviewer confidentiality.
• Evaluating reviewer comments for quality and consistency.
• Requesting additional reviews when necessary.

Editorial decisions are based on reviewer recommendations together with the independent assessment of the handling editor.

Editorial Decision Process

Following peer review, manuscripts may receive one of the following editorial decisions:

• Accept
• Accept with Minor Revisions
• Major Revisions Required
• Reject

The final decision regarding publication rests exclusively with the Editor-in-Chief.

Manuscript Processing and Editorial Assistance

The Editorial Office provides comprehensive editorial support throughout the publication process, including:

• Assistance with manuscript submission.
• Verification of submission requirements.
• Communication with authors during peer review.
• Coordination between editors, reviewers, and authors.
• Monitoring manuscript progress.
• Managing revisions and resubmissions.
• Preparing accepted manuscripts for production.

Authors are informed of editorial decisions promptly and are provided with reviewer comments where applicable.

Copyediting and Proofreading

Accepted manuscripts undergo professional editorial processing before publication, including:

• Language editing.
• Grammar and spelling corrections.
• Consistency of terminology.
• Formatting according to journal style.
• Reference verification.
• DOI verification where available.
• Final proofreading prior to publication.

Authors receive page proofs for final review and approval before publication.

Issue Compilation and Publication

The Editorial Office is responsible for compiling each journal issue by:

• Organizing accepted manuscripts into scheduled issues.
• Assigning page numbers, article identifiers, and publication dates.
• Ensuring consistency in formatting and presentation.
• Preparing metadata for indexing and archiving.
• Publishing articles according to the journal's publication schedule.

Where applicable, accepted articles may be published online ahead of issue assignment.

Research Integrity and Publication Ethics

The Editorial Office actively promotes responsible research and publication practices. Manuscripts are evaluated for compliance with ethical standards, including:

• Originality of research.
• Ethical approval for human and animal studies.
• Informed consent where required.
• Conflict of interest disclosure.
• Funding transparency.
• Authorship criteria.
• Data integrity.

Suspected cases of publication misconduct are handled according to internationally recognized ethical guidelines and established editorial procedures.

Plagiarism Screening

All submitted manuscripts are screened using Turnitin or another recognized plagiarism detection system before peer review.

Manuscripts exceeding the journal's acceptable similarity threshold or demonstrating evidence of plagiarism, duplicate publication, or inappropriate citation practices may be rejected or returned for revision.

Authorship Verification

The journal follows the authorship recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). All listed authors must have made substantial scholarly contributions to the research and approve the final version of the manuscript prior to publication.

Any changes to authorship after submission require written consent from all authors and approval from the Editorial Office.

Conflict of Interest

Editors, reviewers, and authors are required to disclose any financial, academic, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the editorial process or interpretation of research findings.

Where conflicts exist, appropriate editorial measures will be taken to ensure an impartial evaluation.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The journal is committed to maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. Where necessary, the Editorial Office may publish:

• Corrections
• Errata
• Corrigenda
• Expressions of Concern
• Retractions

These actions are taken in accordance with accepted international publication ethics standards.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors who disagree with an editorial decision may submit a reasoned appeal to the Editorial Office. Appeals are reviewed independently, and additional expert opinions may be sought when appropriate.

Complaints regarding editorial conduct, peer review, or publication ethics are investigated fairly, confidentially, and without prejudice.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts and associated correspondence are treated as confidential throughout the editorial and peer-review process. Information obtained during manuscript handling will not be disclosed to unauthorized individuals or used for personal advantage.

Archiving and Preservation

Published articles are permanently preserved as part of the scholarly record. The journal is committed to ensuring the long-term accessibility, discoverability, and integrity of its published content through appropriate archiving and indexing practices.

Compliance with International Standards

The editorial policies of EJMP are developed in accordance with internationally recognized standards and best practices, including the recommendations of:

• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)
• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
• Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing
• Scopus Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB) quality criteria
• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) best practices

Through these policies, the European Journal of Medical Practitioners (EJMP) is committed to ensuring a transparent, ethical, and rigorous editorial process while publishing high-quality research that contributes to the advancement of medicine and healthcare worldwide.