Editorial Roles and Responsibilities

Editors of the Asian Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (ACAM) play a critical role in shaping the journal’s academic vision, upholding editorial integrity, and ensuring that published research is scientifically robust, ethically sound, and impactful within the fields of virology, immunology, and vaccine science.

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1. Upholding Editorial Integrity

Editors are responsible for maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and credibility of the journal’s content. This includes:

• Ensuring all published work meets rigorous scientific and ethical standards
• Responding promptly to concerns regarding data integrity, plagiarism, or research misconduct
• Issuing corrections, retractions, or clarifications when warranted to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record

All editorial decisions must align with the journal’s mission and adhere to best practices, following ACAM’s policies and global ethical guidelines, such as those recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

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2. Leadership in Peer Review

Editors oversee the peer review process to guarantee that it is:

• Fair, unbiased, and conducted with academic rigor
• Timely, transparent, and consistently applied
• Structured to promote constructive dialogue between authors and reviewers

Editors are tasked with selecting qualified, independent reviewers, managing conflicts of interest, and ensuring respectful and professional exchanges. They also play an active role in curating relevant content and identifying emerging trends in virology, vaccine research, and public health.

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3. Serving the Research Community

Editors are committed to supporting authors, reviewers, and readers by:

• Offering clear editorial guidance and maintaining responsive communication
• Assessing submissions solely based on academic merit, free from discrimination of any kind
• Collaborating with the publisher to foster high-quality submissions and innovative research
• Upholding ethical standards by discouraging practices such as citation manipulation or data fabrication

Beyond evaluating manuscripts, editors contribute to cultivating a positive, inclusive, and transparent publishing culture.

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4. Editorial Independence and Confidentiality

Editors exercise independent, evidence-based judgment in accepting or rejecting manuscripts, often consulting peer reviewers and editorial board members as needed. Editorial decisions must be grounded in:

• The scientific merit and significance of the research
• Alignment with ACAM’s aims and scope
• Ethical compliance and clarity of reporting

All manuscripts are handled with strict confidentiality, with access limited to individuals directly involved in the editorial and review process.

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5. Collaboration with the Publisher

ACAM is published by ACAD-WISE, which partners with editors to support the journal’s operational and strategic goals. The publisher:

• Provides robust editorial and production support
• Ensures global reach through Open Access publication
• Manages the journal’s website, submission system, and indexing processes
• Enhances the journal’s visibility, discoverability, and research impact

Together, the editorial team and publisher work to maintain ACAM as a respected, innovative, and accessible platform that advances the science and application of virology and vaccine development.