Compliants & Appeals

The International Journal of Sexual Health, Fertility and Reproductive Medicine is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, and professional publishing process. The journal welcomes legitimate complaints and appeals concerning editorial decisions, peer review, publication practices, research integrity, ethical matters, and other aspects of the publishing process.

1. Complaints

Authors, reviewers, readers, editors, and other stakeholders may submit complaints concerning matters such as:

  • Editorial or peer-review procedures

  • Delays in manuscript processing

  • Publication-related errors

  • Authorship or contributor concerns

  • Plagiarism or duplicate publication

  • Conflicts of interest

  • Ethical concerns

  • Research misconduct

  • Copyright or licensing concerns

  • Reviewer or editorial conduct

  • Privacy or confidentiality concerns

2. Submitting a Complaint

Complaints should be submitted through the journal's official communication channels with sufficient information to allow the matter to be properly assessed.

Where applicable, a complaint should include:

  • Name and contact information

  • Manuscript or article title

  • Manuscript or article identification details, if available

  • Clear description of the concern

  • Relevant supporting information or documentation

3. Handling of Complaints

Complaints will be reviewed as objectively and confidentially as reasonably possible.

The editorial team may:

  1. Acknowledge the complaint where appropriate.

  2. Review relevant editorial or publication records.

  3. Request additional information when necessary.

  4. Consult appropriate editors or independent experts.

  5. Take corrective action when a legitimate concern is identified.

  6. Communicate the outcome where appropriate.

4. Appeals Against Editorial Decisions

Authors who believe that an editorial decision was based on a significant misunderstanding, factual error, procedural issue, or inappropriate evaluation may submit an appeal.

An appeal should provide a clear and reasoned explanation of why the decision should be reconsidered. Simply disagreeing with the editorial decision or repeating information already considered may not be sufficient grounds for an appeal.

5. Appeal Review

Appeals will be considered by the editorial team. Where appropriate, the journal may seek an additional independent assessment or review relevant reviewer comments and editorial records before reaching a decision.

The outcome of an appeal will be communicated to the concerned author where appropriate.

6. Research Integrity Complaints

Concerns involving possible:

  • Fabrication or falsification

  • Plagiarism

  • Duplicate publication

  • Authorship manipulation

  • Unethical research

  • Peer-review manipulation

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

  • Misuse or inappropriate disclosure of sensitive research information

  • Other forms of publication misconduct

may be investigated separately from a normal editorial appeal.

7. Confidentiality and Protection

The journal will handle complaints and appeals with appropriate confidentiality and will make reasonable efforts to protect individuals involved in good-faith reporting from unnecessary disclosure.

Particular care will be taken when complaints or investigations involve sensitive information relating to sexual health, fertility, reproductive health, clinical records, or research participants.

8. Unacceptable Complaints

Complaints should remain professional and evidence-based. Personal attacks, threatening communications, discriminatory language, harassment, or repeated complaints without substantive new information may not be considered further.

9. Corrections and Post-Publication Concerns

If a legitimate error or ethical concern is identified in a published article, the journal may consider appropriate corrective action, including a correction, clarification, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the nature and significance of the issue.

10. Commitment to Fairness

The International Journal of Sexual Health, Fertility and Reproductive Medicine is committed to handling complaints and appeals in a fair, impartial, confidential, and transparent manner, while protecting the integrity of the scholarly record and ensuring that legitimate concerns receive appropriate consideration.