Privacy Policy

At the International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research, we take privacy seriously. This isn't just about ticking regulatory boxes — it's about maintaining the trust that researchers, scientists, and study participants place in us when they share their work and their data.

Protecting Study Participants

Research involving human subjects depends on people willing to participate in studies. We owe them our best efforts to protect their privacy. For this reason, we do not accept manuscripts that disclose personal details of individual participants. Any data that could be traced back to a specific person must be removed or altered before submission.

This means stripping out names, hospital numbers, and similar identifiers. But it also means thinking carefully about less obvious details. A rare condition treated at a specific institution during a particular month might be enough to identify someone. Authors should err on the side of caution.

Photographs and Images

Scientific images often have significant educational value, but they can also reveal more than intended. A photograph showing a subject's face — or even distinctive features like an unusual birthmark or tattoo — could compromise their anonymity.

When such images are necessary for the manuscript, we require that identifying features be masked before publication. Eyes are typically covered with black bars; other distinctive marks may need to be cropped out or digitally obscured.

Authors should also check image metadata. Digital photographs often contain embedded information about when and where they were taken. This data should be removed before submission.

When Anonymization Isn't Possible

Sometimes complete anonymization simply isn't feasible — a case report about an extremely rare condition, for instance. In these situations, we require written informed consent from the subject (or their legal guardian). The consent form should make clear that the material will appear in an open-access publication.

We don't ask authors to submit consent forms with their manuscripts, but they must confirm in writing that appropriate consent was obtained and keep the documentation on file.

Author and Reviewer Information

We collect certain information from authors during submission — names, affiliations, email addresses. This information is used to manage the review process and communicate about manuscripts. We don't sell it or share it with third parties for marketing purposes.

Peer review at our journal is confidential. We don't reveal reviewer identities to authors unless reviewers specifically choose to sign their reviews.

How We Handle Data

All personal data collected through our systems is stored on secure servers with appropriate access controls. We use encryption for data transmission and conduct periodic security reviews.

We retain submission records and related correspondence for as long as necessary to support the published literature and address any questions that may arise about published work.

Your Rights

If you've submitted a manuscript or served as a reviewer, you can request access to the personal data we hold about you. You can also ask us to correct inaccuracies or, in some circumstances, delete your information. Send requests to our editorial office.

Compliance

Our practices align with major data protection frameworks and ethical guidelines. These include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for European residents, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) where applicable, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Canada's PIPEDA, Brazil's LGPD, India's DPDPA, and the Declaration of Helsinki.

We also follow the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time as regulations evolve. When we make significant revisions, we'll note the changes on our website.

Questions?

If you have questions about this policy, please contact us at [email protected]. We're happy to help.