Policy Statement

The Pioneer Journal of Biostatistics and Medical Research (ISSN Print: 2960-2580 and ISSN Online: 2960-2599) is publishing articles under the publisher “Medical Research and Statistical Consultancy Training Centre (SMC-PRIVATE) Limited”. The Pioneer Journal of Biostatistics and Medical Research (PJBMR) is a quarterly journal (Issue 1: Jan – March, Issue 2: April -June, Issue 3: Jul- Sep, Issue 4: Oct-Dec). PJBMR is peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to nurturing and promoting the advancements in the fields of medical research, public health, epidemiology and biostatistics.

Type of articles: PJBMR invites any kind of research articles and innovative contributions across a wide spectrum of topics including, clinical studies (of any type), epidemiological studies, biostatistical methodologies, and public health policy / guidelines. Our aim is to provide a platform aligned with international publishing standards, promoting collaboration and knowledge dissemination in accordance with ethical guidelines and best practices.

Authorship policy: PJBMR adheres to the authorship credit recommendations outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), ensuring that authorship is attributed only to those who have significantly contributed to the research. According to these guidelines, authors must meet four criteria: making substantial contributions to the conception, design, acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; drafting or critically revising the work for intellectual content; providing final approval of the version to be published; and agreeing to be accountable for all aspects of the work's accuracy and integrity, resolving any related questions.

Review policy: PJBMR follows a rigorous 'double-blind' peer review process to ensure the quality and integrity of published research. Reviewers evaluate submissions based on originality, methodological rigor, clarity of presentation, adherence to ethical guidelines, and contribution to the advancement of medical research. Manuscripts undergo a similarity check using appropriate tools, with those exceeding predefined thresholds subject to clarification and/or correction.

Copy right: Authors submitting to PJBMR retain copyright of their work, allowing for wider dissemination under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. So far, there are no publication charges, and all submitted manuscripts undergo timely review, typically completed within 4-8 weeks. The journal is committed to privacy and ethical standards, ensuring confidentiality of author information and adherence to ethical approval requirements.

Plagiarism policy: Manuscripts submitted undergo scrutiny for originality. Each manuscript is assessed through the Turnitin service to gauge similarity. Articles surpassing the 19% similarity threshold are referred back to authors for further elucidation or necessary revisions. The single source citation is allowed <5%.

Moreover, PJBMR follows the plagiarism policy set by HEC, available at https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/services/faculty/Documents/Plagiarism/Plagiarism%20Policy.pdf

Retraction policy: PJBMR upholds a retraction policy for published articles based on clear criteria such as gross errors, plagiarism, redundant publication, unethical research results, or major conflicts of interest. Authors are expected to comply with established guidelines for ethical conduct and publication of health research.