Complaints and Appeals Policy
Ege Journal of Medicine, evaluates appeals against editorial decisions and complaints regarding the editorial process, publication ethics, or the conduct of editors and reviewers in strict compliance with the principles of impartiality, confidentiality, and the avoidance of conflicts of interest.
Appeals Against Editorial Decisions: Authors have the right to submit a written appeal against editorial decisions by providing clear scientific justifications. The appeal must explicitly state the manuscript title and submission number. It must point out the specific aspects of the decision or reviewer reports being contested, supported by detailed explanations and evidence. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee that the manuscript will be re-evaluated or accepted. Appeals are reviewed by an independent editor who was not involved in the initial evaluation process and has no conflict of interest; when necessary, an additional independent peer-review opinion may be sought. The outcome of the review and its rationale will be communicated to the corresponding author in writing. Provided that the Editor-in-Chief is not a party to the appeal and holds no conflict of interest, the final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief; otherwise, the final decision will be made by an independent editor.
Handling Complaints: Complaints regarding the editorial process, breaches of confidentiality, conflicts of interest, discrimination, or other ethical issues may be submitted to the editorial office, clearly stating the details of the incident, the date, and any supporting documentation. Complaints are investigated by designated individuals who have no objective connection to the matter and no conflict of interest. If the complaint concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the investigation will be conducted by an independent editor or a committee appointed by the publisher. Throughout the process, all relevant parties will be given an opportunity to provide explanations and responses. Investigations are guided by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines; where necessary, information and documentation may be requested from the authors' affiliated institutions or authorized bodies. Information regarding the complaint is strictly shared only with individuals directly involved in the investigation. The outcome of the investigation will be reported to the complainant, fully respecting confidentiality obligations.
Submission Channel: All appeals and complaints must be sent via email to egetipdergisi@gmail.com. The subject line of the email must clearly state “Appeal Against Editorial Decision” or “Complaint Submission” depending on the nature of the request.
Investigation and Consequences of Ethical Misconduct Allegations
Allegations of publication misconduct are formally investigated in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines, taking into account all relevant documents, evidence, and statements from the parties involved.
Investigation Process: The formal investigation process will be initiated within one month at the latest from the receipt of the notification by the journal. Authors facing allegations will be granted the right to respond and provide explanations to clarify the issue. In critical and necessary cases, an institutional investigation may be requested from the authors' affiliated institutions or official regulatory bodies. While the investigation is ongoing, the mere existence of suspicion does not imply that misconduct has been proven until concrete evidence is obtained.
Actions and Sanctions: Depending on the nature and severity of the ethical violation uncovered during the investigation, the evaluation process of the manuscript may be immediately suspended, or the manuscript may be rejected. If the manuscript has already been published, appropriate measures will be taken based on the extent of the infringement, including the publication of a correction (erratum), an editorial expression of concern, or a retraction. The legal and scientific rationale behind the decision will be explained to the parties; any published ethical notices will be permanently linked to the respective article in the digital archive.
Misconduct by Editors and Reviewers: Potential ethical violations by reviewers or editors within the process are investigated with the same level of diligence. If a violation is confirmed, the individual's role in evaluation, peer review, or editorial duties for the journal will be terminated immediately, and necessary institutional notifications will be carried out.