Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

The Virosa publishing Journal's are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, transparency, and ethical publishing practices. This statement is based on the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).

Our policies apply to authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher, and are intended to ensure that all parties involved in the publication process uphold principles of honesty, integrity, and responsibility.

1. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting to Virosapub must:

  1. Submit only original, unpublished work that is not under consideration elsewhere.
  2. Properly acknowledge the contributions of others and cite all relevant sources.
  3. Avoid all forms of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification of data, or redundant publication.
  4. Ensure that research involving humans or animals complies with recognized ethical standards and has obtained appropriate approvals.
  5. Provide details of funding sources and disclose any conflicts of interest.
  6. Cooperate fully with editorial processes, including peer review, revisions, and corrections.
  7. Retain copyright while granting the journal the right of first publication under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license.

2. Plagiarism and Originality Policy

Authors submitting to Virosapub must:

  1. All manuscripts undergo plagiarism detection using reliable software such as Turnitin/iThenticate before entering peer review.
  2. Textual overlap limited to commonly used methods or references may be acceptable; however, manuscripts with substantial similarity (>15%) will be rejected.
  3. Self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, or manipulation of data are treated as serious breaches of ethics.
  4. If plagiarism is detected post-publication, the article may be retracted and the authors may be blacklisted and reported to their institution.

3. Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers play a vital role in maintaining scientific quality. They are expected to:

  1. Provide objective, constructive, and timely reviews.
  2. Maintain strict confidentiality and not use unpublished work for personal advantage.
  3. Declare conflicts of interest and decline assignments where bias may arise.
  4. Identify potential misconduct such as plagiarism, duplicate submission, or data manipulation, and report these to the editor.

4. Editorial Responsibilities

Editors of Virosapub are entrusted with maintaining scholarly quality and integrity. They must:

  1. Make decisions based solely on academic merit, originality, and relevance.
  2. Ensure double-blind peer review is applied fairly and transparently.
  3. Protect the confidentiality of authors and reviewers.
  4. Manage and disclose conflicts of interest.
  5. Uphold publication integrity by issuing corrections, retractions, or editorial notes where necessary.
  6. Follow COPE guidelines in handling misconduct or disputes.

5. Publisher Responsibilities (Virosa Publishing)

As the publisher, Virosa Publishing ensures that:

  1. The journal operates with complete independence of editorial decisions.
  2. A transparent publishing process is maintained, free from bias or external influence.
  3. Authors are provided with clear guidance regarding policies on open access, copyright, fees, and ethics.
  4. Allegations of misconduct are investigated thoroughly, with outcomes communicated in line with COPE flowcharts.The journal upholds its commitment to open access principles, ensuring all articles are freely available under a CC BY license.

6. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

  1. Corrections (Errata or Corrigenda): Issued when minor errors are identified that do not compromise the overall validity of the article.
  2.  Retractions: Issued when significant ethical violations (e.g., plagiarism, falsification, duplicate submission) are confirmed. Retracted articles remain accessible but marked as “Retracted” to preserve the scholarly record.
  3. Expressions of Concern: Issued when serious allegations are under investigation but a conclusion has not yet been reached.

7. Commitment to Ethical Standards

Virosa Journals and Virosa Publishing are firmly committed to:

  1. Promoting academic integrity and responsible research practices.
  2. Supporting the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) and the global dissemination of knowledge.
  3. Encouraging diversity, inclusivity, and ethical responsibility across the scientific and healthcare communities.