Preprint Policy

The Journal of Medico Informatics (JoMI) is committed to upholding the highest standards of originality, integrity, and ethical publishing. In accordance with the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, jointly developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), JoMI enforces clear policies regarding preprints and concurrent submissions to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record and ensure a fair peer review process.

Preprint Policy
In alignment with this Open Access principle, JoMI permits the submission of manuscripts that have been previously posted on recognized preprint servers (such as medRxiv, bioRxiv, arXiv, or equivalent platforms), provided that the following conditions are met:
► Authors must disclose the existence of the preprint at the time of manuscript submission, including the preprint server name, preprint DOI or URL, and the date of posting.
► The preprint must not have been formally published in a peer-reviewed journal prior to submission to JoMI.
► Upon acceptance and publication, authors are required to update the preprint record to include a link to the final published version, using the article DOI, in accordance with standard cross-referencing best practices.
► The preprint must not have undergone substantive changes that are inconsistent with the version submitted to JoMI. Any significant differences between the preprint and the submitted manuscript must be clearly disclosed.
► Authors must ensure that posting the preprint does not conflict with any applicable institutional, funder, or third-party policies.
Manuscripts that have been formally published in any peer-reviewed journal, conference proceedings, or equivalent outlet prior to submission will not be considered and will be rejected without further review.

Concurrent Submission Policy
JoMI enforces a strict prohibition on concurrent or multiple submissions. The types of manuscripts the journal will consider for publication must be clearly stated, and multiple or redundant publication is not allowed. Manuscripts submitted to JoMI must not be simultaneously under consideration, under review, or accepted for publication by any other journal, conference, or publication platform. Authors are required to confirm, as part of the submission process, that their manuscript is original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere. If a manuscript is found to be under simultaneous consideration by another outlet, it will be rejected immediately. In cases of serious or repeated violations, the journal reserves the right to impose appropriate sanctions, including temporary or permanent restrictions on future submissions by the authors involved.

Author Declaration and Responsibility
► At the time of submission, authors must provide a formal declaration confirming:
► Whether a preprint version of the manuscript exists, and if so, the relevant server, DOI, and posting date.
► That the manuscript is not currently under review or accepted for publication elsewhere.
► That all co-authors are aware of and in agreement with the submission conditions.
The corresponding author bears full responsibility for the accuracy of this declaration. Any breach will be treated as a violation of publication ethics and may be subject to further corrective or disciplinary action.

Policy Enforcement and Ethical Compliance
JoMI actively monitors submissions for potential breaches of originality and exclusivity using editorial checks and plagiarism detection tools. Violations of this policy are considered serious ethical misconduct and may result in rejection, retraction where identified post-publication, notification to affiliated institutions, and restriction of future submissions by the authors concerned.

Rationale and Commitment
This policy is designed to protect the novelty, credibility, and integrity of published research while supporting open science principles, including the responsible use of preprint servers. Editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit and must not be affected by the origins of the manuscript. By maintaining clear and transparent guidelines on preprints and concurrent submissions, JoMI upholds the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing in accordance with internationally recognized best practices.