Editorial Ethics and Policy

Foundation of the policy

The ethical provisions of the Journal’s editorial policy are based on the international rules of publication ethics of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and on the Code of Ethics of Lomonosov Moscow State University of 31.08.2009.

The provisions on research bioethics are based on the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights of 19.10.2005, the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki of 1964 as amended, Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes of 22.09.2010, and the Regulations on the Bioethics Commission approved by the Rector of Moscow State University on 15.10.2020. Responsibility for compliance with bioethics lies with the person conducting the research and publishing its results in the Journal.

These ethical principles govern the work of authors, the editorial office and reviewers of the Journal, and apply to oversight of the publication process and to countering unfair publication practices.

Ethical principles for authors

• The manuscript contains reliable scientific results of the research conducted.
• The manuscript presents original material; borrowings are quoted with the source indicated, in accordance with the MSU Code of Ethics. A significant share of unfair borrowing is unacceptable.
• The manuscript has not been published in another journal and is not under consideration elsewhere.
• When submitting a manuscript, it is strictly forbidden to offer financial rewards or use other connections that compromise the impartiality of review.
• A manuscript containing direct insults, threats, politically motivated unjustified and unfounded slogans, etc. is rejected by the Editorial Board.

Ethical principles for reviewers

• Reviewers agree to review only manuscripts that they have sufficient subject expertise to assess.
• Reviewers keep confidential the information in the manuscript that is the author’s intellectual property.
• The review is unbiased and objective.
• In case of any conflict of interest, the reviewer contacts the Journal for advice on resolving it.
• Attempting to impersonate another person during review is a serious ethical violation.
• Reviewers are impartial and, in accordance with the MSU Code of Ethics, support the academic growth of authors.

Professional ethical principles of the editorial office

• The editorial office decides whether to accept a work for publication based on the reliability and scientific significance of the material.
• The editorial office does not publish manuscripts that have not passed double-blind peer review and a check for unfair borrowing.
• The editorial office guarantees that there are no paid contractual relations between the publisher, editors and authors.
• When checking a manuscript against the requirements, no discrimination of the author on the basis of any beliefs - personal, political, racial, religious, etc. - is permitted.
• The editorial office guarantees the confidentiality of information contained in submitted manuscripts.
• The editorial office does not publish materials whose content violates the legislation of the Russian Federation.