Grievances
The Gazette of Medical Sciences (The GMS) is committed to maintaining fairness, transparency, professionalism and accountability throughout its editorial and publication processes. The journal recognizes the importance of providing authors, reviewers, readers and other interested parties with an accessible procedure for raising concerns or complaints.
The GMS aims to consider grievances objectively, respectfully and without unnecessary delay. Complaints are assessed according to their nature, available evidence and relevant journal policies, with appropriate regard for confidentiality and editorial independence.
Our Commitment to Fair Complaint Handling
The GMS welcomes genuine concerns relating to editorial procedures, publication practices, professional conduct and the integrity of published scholarly material.
Individuals who raise concerns in good faith should receive fair consideration, irrespective of their academic position, institutional affiliation or relationship with the journal.
Editorial decisions and grievance assessments remain independent of publication charges, waiver requests, financial considerations and optional author services.
Scope of Complaints
Complaints or grievances may relate to matters including:
- Concerns about editorial procedures or the handling of manuscript submissions.
- Unreasonable delays or communication difficulties during editorial processing.
- Allegations of unfair treatment, inappropriate conduct or procedural irregularities.
- Concerns regarding peer-review practices, confidentiality or conflicts of interest.
- Questions concerning the application of journal policies.
- Potential publication ethics violations or research integrity concerns.
- Issues relating to corrections, retractions or other post-publication editorial actions.
A disagreement with an editorial decision does not, by itself, establish misconduct or procedural unfairness. However, concerns supported by relevant evidence of improper handling, bias or significant procedural error may be reviewed.
How to Submit a Complaint
Complaints may be submitted by email to:
To help the editorial team assess the concern efficiently, complainants are encouraged to provide:
- Their name and appropriate contact information.
- The manuscript title, article title or relevant reference details, where applicable.
- A clear description of the complaint or concern.
- Relevant dates, correspondence or supporting information.
- The outcome or clarification being requested, if any.
The journal may also consider concerns submitted without full identifying details where sufficient credible evidence is available to justify further assessment.
Complainants should avoid sending unnecessary confidential patient information or sensitive personal records.
Acknowledgement and Response Timelines
The GMS aims to acknowledge receipt of a complaint within five working days.
The journal aims to provide a substantive response or resolution within 28 days of receiving the complaint, where reasonably possible.
Some matters may require additional time because of their complexity, the need to consult relevant parties or the involvement of external institutions or authorities.
Where a full response cannot reasonably be provided within the stated period, the journal aims to communicate the status of the matter and provide an interim response where appropriate.
These timelines represent the journal's normal complaint-handling targets and do not guarantee completion of complex investigations within a fixed period.
Assessment and Resolution
Complaints will be assessed according to their subject, seriousness and supporting information.
The editorial team may review relevant correspondence, submission records, published materials and applicable journal policies.
Where necessary, the journal may request additional information, seek clarification from the individuals concerned or consult an appropriately qualified independent person.
Individuals whose conduct or decisions are the subject of a substantive complaint should ordinarily be given a reasonable opportunity to respond before conclusions are reached.
Depending on the findings, possible outcomes may include clarification, correction of a procedural error, reconsideration of an editorial matter, appropriate remedial action or closure of the complaint where the concern is not substantiated.
The journal will communicate the outcome to the complainant to the extent reasonably possible, subject to confidentiality and other applicable obligations.
Escalation and Independent Review
If a complainant is dissatisfied with the initial response, they may request further consideration by the Editor-in-Chief.
The request should briefly explain the grounds for reconsideration and identify any relevant information that may not have been adequately considered.
The Editor-in-Chief will ordinarily serve as the final internal escalation authority for complaints, subject to appropriate conflict of interest safeguards.
Where a complaint directly concerns the Editor-in-Chief or presents a significant conflict of interest, the matter should be referred to another suitably qualified and uninvolved senior editorial representative or an independent person appointed to consider the complaint.
The purpose of escalation is to ensure that significant concerns receive appropriate consideration rather than to create an indefinite sequence of repeated reviews.
Confidentiality and Protection Against Retaliation
The GMS will seek to handle grievances with appropriate discretion and respect for the confidentiality of the parties involved.
Information relating to a complaint may be shared with editors, advisers, institutions or other relevant parties where reasonably necessary to assess or resolve the matter.
Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where disclosure is required by law or is reasonably necessary for a fair and effective investigation.
Authors, reviewers and other individuals should not be subjected to adverse editorial treatment merely because they have raised a genuine concern in good faith.
The journal also expects complainants and respondents to communicate respectfully and avoid knowingly false or malicious allegations.
Post-Publication and Research Integrity Concerns
Complaints involving potential errors, unreliable findings, plagiarism, unethical research or other concerns affecting published articles may require assessment under the journal's publication ethics and post-publication policies.
Depending on the circumstances, appropriate action may include clarification, correction, an expression of concern or retraction.
The GMS may seek information from relevant institutions or authorities where a concern involves matters beyond the journal's capacity to investigate independently.
The journal retains responsibility for determining appropriate action concerning its own published scholarly record.
Further details are provided in the Correction and Retraction Policy .
Editorial Independence and Fair Treatment
The GMS is committed to considering grievances without inappropriate influence from commercial, financial, institutional or personal interests.
The submission of a complaint does not guarantee a particular editorial outcome, acceptance of a manuscript or reversal of a previous decision.
Each concern will be considered on its merits, with due regard for evidence, applicable policies and the integrity of the scholarly publication process.