Research Integrity Policy

The Sri Lanka Journal of Dermatology (SLJD) is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, ethical conduct, and editorial responsibility. The journal follows international best practices and adheres to the principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)  https://publicationethics.org, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) https://www.icmje.org/, and other relevant ethical frameworks.

Editorial decisions are based on scientific merit, originality, clinical relevance, and ethical compliance, without influence from commercial, institutional, or personal interests.

Ethical Conduct of Research

Research involving human participants

Research involving human participants must comply with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/ and relevant national regulations. Manuscripts must include:

  • Approval from an appropriately constituted ethics review committee, and
  • Confirmation that informed consent was obtained where applicable.

For case reports and clinical images, authors must confirm that informed consent has been obtained and that patient anonymity is protected.

Research involving animals

Studies involving animals must comply with internationally accepted standards for animal welfare, including the Basel Declaration https://www.basel-declaration.org  and relevant institutional and national guidelines. Authors must:

  • State that ethical approval was obtained from an appropriate animal ethics committee, and
  • Confirm that humane care and use of animals were followed throughout the study.

Research involving plants, microorganisms, or biological material

Research involving plants, microorganisms, or biological resources must comply with relevant institutional, national, and international regulations, including biodiversity and biosecurity requirements where applicable. Authors are responsible for ensuring lawful access, collection, and use of biological materials.

Authorship and Conflicts of Interest

Authorship must reflect substantial intellectual contribution. All authors must approve the final manuscript. Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged.

All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, that could influence the work. Declared conflicts will be evaluated and published where relevant.

Plagiarism and Originality

All submissions are screened for plagiarism using recognized similarity-checking software prior to peer review. By submitting to SLJD, authors confirm that their work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal.

Plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, image manipulation, or redundant publication will be handled in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Peer Review and Editorial Oversight

SLJD operates a double-blind peer review process. All manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening for scope, ethical compliance, and adherence to author guidelines before being sent for external review. Reviewers are selected by the editors based on subject expertise and absence of conflicts of interest.

Handling of Misconduct

Allegations of research or publication misconduct are taken seriously and investigated following COPE procedures and flowcharts. Where misconduct is confirmed, appropriate action will be taken, which may include rejection, correction, retraction, or notification of relevant institutions.

Transparency and Accountability

SLJD is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. Policies on corrections, retractions, and publication ethics are publicly available on the journal website.