The National Journal of Health Sciences (NJHS) adheres to strict standards of academic integrity and publication ethics. Accordingly, the journal does not accept manuscripts that have been previously made publicly available as preprints. NJHS does not consider manuscripts that have been previously posted as preprints. All submissions must represent original, unpublished work that has not been made publicly available in any form prior to submission, including but not limited to preprint servers, institutional repositories, personal or laboratory websites, or other publicly accessible platforms.
Rationale for Restriction:
This policy ensures the integrity of the double-blind peer-review process and protects the journal’s interest in publishing novel, high-impact research. Dissemination via preprints can:
- Compromise the anonymity of the authors during peer review.
- Lead to the spread of non-peer-reviewed medical data, which carries risks in clinical decision-making.
- Result in duplicate publication issues or “salami slicing” of data.
Permissible Dissemination:
The following forms of dissemination are not considered prior publication and are permitted:
Abstracts: Presentation of results in abstract form at scientific meetings or conferences.
Academic Thesis: Inclusion of the work in an unpublished PhD or Master’s thesis required for a degree.
Note: Manuscripts found to have violated this policy at any stage of the editorial or peer-review process will be rejected outright, and if discovered after publication, may result in retraction in accordance with COPE guidelines.