Policies & Guidelines

Editorial and Publication Policies

Global Health and Life Sciences

Double-Blind Peer Review and Editorial Process

All manuscripts submitted to Global Health and Life Sciences undergo a double-blind peer review process, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the evaluation process.

Upon submission, manuscripts are first assessed by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned Editorial Editor to determine their suitability for the journal’s scope, originality, and adherence to submission guidelines. Manuscripts that pass this initial screening are forwarded to at least two independent external reviewers with expertise in the relevant subject area.

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:

  • scientific quality and methodological rigor

  • originality and contribution to the field

  • clarity of presentation

  • ethical compliance and research integrity

Based on the reviewers’ recommendations, the Editor may reach one of the following decisions:

  • Accept

  • Minor revision

  • Major revision

  • Reject

The typical review and editorial decision process is completed within 40–45 days, although the timeframe may vary depending on reviewer availability and manuscript complexity.

In cases of conflict of interest, the manuscript will be reassigned to another member of the Editorial Board who has no competing interests with the authors or the research topic.

Reviewer identities remain confidential, and pre-publication histories are not publicly disclosed. Submission of manuscripts with false author identities, fabricated reviewer information, or misleading contact details constitutes academic misconduct and may result in immediate rejection and further action according to the journal’s ethics policies.

Guest editorials may be reviewed internally by the Editor-in-Chief and, when appropriate, externally by an invited subject expert.

Publication Frequency

Global Health and Life Sciences is published annually, with one issue released each year. Special issues may be published when appropriate.

Open Access Policy

Global Health and Life Sciences is a fully open access journal. All articles are freely accessible online immediately upon publication.

The journal publishes content under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) License, which allows readers to copy, distribute, and adapt the material for non-commercial purposes, provided appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the journal.

This policy ensures the broad dissemination and accessibility of scientific knowledge.

Archiving and Digital Preservation

To ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of published content, Global Health and Life Sciences participates in the PKP Private LOCKSS Network (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe). This distributed archiving system preserves journal content across participating libraries and ensures permanent availability.

Each article published in the journal is assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to provide persistent and reliable access to the published research.

Crossmark Policy

All articles published in Global Health and Life Sciences receive a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and remain permanently available online.

The journal participates in the CrossMark initiative, which allows readers to verify the current status of an article and identify updates such as corrections, addenda, or retractions.

Addendum

An addendum may be issued when important information was unintentionally omitted from the original article. The addendum will be published separately and linked to the original publication.

Erratum

An erratum may be issued to correct errors introduced during the publication process that affect the accuracy or presentation of the article.

Corrections

Corrections address significant errors identified after publication that do not affect the overall conclusions of the research. The corrected version of the article will be updated online with a linked correction notice.

Retractions

Articles may be retracted if significant issues are identified that compromise the reliability or integrity of the research, including:

  • data fabrication or falsification

  • plagiarism

  • unethical research practices

  • major methodological errors

Retractions are handled in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Retracted articles remain accessible online but are clearly marked as retracted to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

Publication Ethics and Integrity

Global Health and Life Sciences adheres to internationally recognized standards for publication ethics and research integrity.

The journal follows the guidelines and recommendations of:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)

  • Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct throughout the publication process.

Authorship Criteria

Global Health and Life Sciences follows the ICMJE recommendations for authorship.

To qualify as an author, individuals must meet all four of the following criteria:

  1. Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the study, or acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data

  2. Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content

  3. Final approval of the version to be published

  4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section.

The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the journal and ensuring that all authors approve the submitted manuscript.

Any changes in authorship after submission require written consent from all authors and approval from the editorial office.

Acknowledgements

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship—such as those providing technical support, editorial assistance, or funding—should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section with their permission.

Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure

All authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the results or interpretation of their research.

Examples include:

  • employment or consultancy

  • stock ownership

  • honoraria

  • patents or patent applications

  • research funding or travel grants

All funding sources must be clearly stated in the manuscript. Conflict of interest statements will be published alongside the article.

Reviewers are also required to disclose potential conflicts of interest before accepting review assignments.

Protection of Research Participants

Research involving human participants or animals must comply with internationally recognized ethical standards.

Human Subjects

Studies involving human participants must follow the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and must receive approval from an appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee.

Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legal guardians. Identifiable personal information should not be included unless essential and accompanied by written consent.

Animal Research

Studies involving animals must follow internationally accepted guidelines for animal welfare and ethical treatment.

Authors are encouraged to apply the 3Rs principle:

  • Replacement – using alternatives to animal experimentation when possible

  • Reduction – minimizing the number of animals used

  • Refinement – reducing pain and improving animal welfare

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism includes the use of another author's ideas, text, or data without appropriate acknowledgment. The journal also considers self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, and redundant submission as forms of academic misconduct.

All submissions to Global Health and Life Sciences are screened using Turnitin plagiarism detection software.

  • Manuscripts with a similarity index above 50% will be rejected immediately.

  • According to HEC Pakistan guidelines, acceptable similarity should normally be below 20%.

If plagiarism is identified after publication, the article may be retracted, and the authors’ institutions may be notified.

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist with language editing or manuscript preparation; however, such use must be transparent.

  • AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

  • Authors must disclose the use of AI tools in the manuscript.

  • Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the content.

Repository Policy

Authors may deposit the following versions of their manuscripts in institutional or subject repositories without embargo:

  • Preprint (submitted manuscript)

  • Author Accepted Manuscript

  • Version of Record (published article)

Data Sharing Policy

Authors are encouraged to deposit supporting research data in recognized public repositories.

A Data Availability Statement should be included in the manuscript indicating where the data supporting the findings of the study can be accessed.

Advertisement Policy

Advertisements published in Global Health and Life Sciences must comply with applicable laws and ethical standards.

The journal reserves the right to accept or reject advertisements at its discretion, and publication of advertisements does not imply endorsement by the journal or its editorial board.

Appeals Process

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a written request to the Editor-in-Chief through the journal’s official email.

Appeals are reviewed by an independent editorial committee, and the final decision is communicated to the author following evaluation.

Complaints Process

Complaints regarding editorial conduct, peer review, or publication ethics may be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief.

All complaints are investigated according to COPE guidelines, and appropriate action will be taken where necessary.

Copyright and Licensing

All articles published in Global Health and Life Sciences are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) License.

Readers may:

  • share and redistribute the material in any medium

  • adapt or build upon the work for non-commercial purposes

Proper attribution to the original authors and the journal must always be provided.

Privacy Statement

Names and email addresses provided to Global Health and Life Sciences will be used solely for the stated purposes of the journal and will not be shared with third parties.

Author Fees

Publication charges are as follows:

  • National authors: PKR 50,000 Pkr per article

  • International authors: USD 300 per article

  • Printed copy: PKR 60,000 Pkr per copy

Waiver Policy

Authors who are unable to pay publication charges may request a full or partial waiver. Waivers are granted based on the availability of funds and the merit of the submitted research.