The International Journal of Molecular Medicine and Advance Sciences (IJMMAS) is committed to ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in authorship. All individuals listed as authors must have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research and accept responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the published work.

IJMMAS follows the authorship recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the ethical guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All authors, contributors, editors, and reviewers are expected to comply with these internationally recognized standards.

Authorship Criteria

To qualify for authorship, an individual should have made substantial contributions to one or more of the following:

• Conception or design of the study.
• Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
• Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
• Approval of the final version of the manuscript before submission.
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work and to assist in resolving any questions related to its accuracy or integrity.

Individuals who do not meet these criteria should not be listed as authors.

Corresponding Author

The corresponding author is responsible for:

• Ensuring that all eligible contributors are appropriately listed as authors.
• Confirming that all authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
• Managing all communication with the Editorial Office during submission, peer review, and publication.
• Providing accurate declarations regarding funding, conflicts of interest, ethical approval, and authorship.
• Responding to editorial queries and coordinating revisions on behalf of all co-authors.

Contributorship

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section with their permission. Such contributions may include:

• Technical assistance
• Statistical support
• Language editing
• Administrative support
• Data collection assistance
• Financial or logistical support

Acknowledgement does not imply authorship or responsibility for the scientific content of the manuscript.

Changes in Authorship

Any request to add, remove, or rearrange authors after manuscript submission must be submitted in writing by the corresponding author and include:

• A clear explanation for the proposed change.
• Written consent from all listed authors, including any author being added or removed.
• Supporting documentation if requested by the Editorial Office.

The journal reserves the right to refuse authorship changes if adequate justification or consent is not provided.

Equal Contribution

Where applicable, authors who have contributed equally to the research may be identified with an appropriate statement in the published article. The nature of equal contribution should be agreed upon by all authors before submission.

Artificial Intelligence and Authorship

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including generative AI systems, cannot be listed as authors because they cannot meet the requirements for authorship, assume responsibility for published work, disclose conflicts of interest, or accept accountability. Authors who use AI tools for language editing or writing assistance should disclose such use in accordance with the journal's AI policy.

Unacceptable Authorship Practices

The following practices are considered unethical and are strictly prohibited:

• Guest authorship
• Honorary authorship
• Gift authorship
• Ghost authorship
• Purchased authorship
• Misrepresentation of author contributions

Any confirmed violation may result in manuscript rejection, publication of a correction, article retraction, or other appropriate editorial action.

Author Responsibility

All authors share responsibility for the integrity, originality, and accuracy of the submitted work. Authors must ensure that:

• The manuscript is original.
• Data are accurate and honestly reported.
• Appropriate ethical approvals have been obtained.
• All sources are properly acknowledged.
• Conflicts of interest have been fully disclosed.
• The manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.

Editorial Oversight

The Editorial Office reserves the right to request detailed information regarding individual author contributions or supporting documentation whenever authorship concerns arise. Suspected authorship disputes or misconduct will be handled in accordance with the recommendations of COPE and ICMJE.