Research Integrity Policy

The Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and Therapeutics (JMCT) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, scientific honesty, transparency, and responsible scholarly publishing. Authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher share responsibility for ensuring that published research is accurate, reliable, reproducible, and ethically conducted.

1. Principles of Research Integrity

Research submitted to JMCT must be conducted honestly, reported accurately, and presented transparently. Authors should ensure that all experimental data, chemical information, computational analyses, pharmacological results, statistical analyses, and conclusions faithfully represent the research performed.

2. Originality

Submitted manuscripts must be original and must not have been published previously or be under consideration elsewhere. Appropriate acknowledgment and citation of previous work are required. Authors should clearly disclose any closely related manuscripts, datasets, or previous publications arising from the same research project.

3. Data Integrity

Research data must be accurate, complete, and retained by the authors for an appropriate period after publication. This includes experimental, chemical, biological, pharmacological, computational, and statistical data. Authors should provide supporting data, methodological information, or relevant research records when reasonably requested by the Editorial Office.

4. Image and Computational Integrity

Images, figures, chemical structures, molecular interaction diagrams, microscopy images, gels, blots, graphs, computational visualizations, and other graphical materials must accurately represent the original observations or analyses. Inappropriate manipulation, fabrication, falsification, or selective alteration of images or computational outputs is prohibited.

Computational results, including molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, virtual screening, QSAR, pharmacophore modeling, ADME/ADMET predictions, and molecular modeling analyses, must be reported accurately and should not be selectively presented in a manner that creates a misleading scientific interpretation.

5. Research Misconduct

Research misconduct includes plagiarism, duplicate or redundant publication, data fabrication, data falsification, inappropriate image manipulation, inappropriate computational data manipulation, citation manipulation, unethical research practices, inappropriate authorship, and any other practice that compromises scientific integrity.

6. Editorial Investigation

Allegations of research misconduct will be investigated confidentially and fairly. Authors may be requested to provide original data, laboratory records, chemical characterization data, computational files, research protocols, ethical approvals, or other supporting documentation relevant to the investigation.

Where necessary, the Editorial Office may seek information or clarification from relevant institutional authorities, research organizations, or other appropriate parties.

7. Editorial Actions

Depending on the nature, severity, and evidence associated with a research integrity concern, JMCT may take one or more of the following actions:

• Request clarification or additional information from the authors.
• Request correction or revision of the manuscript.
• Reject the manuscript before publication.
• Publish a correction after publication.
• Issue an Expression of Concern.
• Retract the article where appropriate.
• Notify relevant institutions, funders, or other responsible authorities when appropriate.
• Take other appropriate measures necessary to protect the integrity of the scientific record.

8. Policy Review

This policy is reviewed periodically to ensure continued alignment with international best practices in research integrity, publication ethics, medicinal chemistry, drug discovery, computational research, and scholarly publishing. The Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and Therapeutics reserves the right to revise or update this policy when necessary. Updated versions become effective upon publication on the journal website unless otherwise stated.