ApexMed – Journal of Health Sciences
At ApexMed, we are committed to a transparent, rigorous, and impartial editorial process that upholds the highest standards of scientific publishing. Each manuscript undergoes a structured evaluation to ensure originality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal’s core focus on medicine and health sciences.
Upon submission, manuscripts are first reviewed by the editorial office to verify:
Compliance with formatting and structural guidelines (title page, abstract, keywords, references, etc.)
Adherence to ApexMed’s plagiarism policy (maximum 10% similarity; threshold guided by HEC’s 19%)
Completion of author information, ethical declarations, funding disclosures, and license agreements
The Editor-in-Chief or Section Editor determines whether the submission aligns with ApexMed’s scope (clinical, biomedical, public health, or health policy) and contributes substantially to the field. Manuscripts outside the scope may be desk-rejected without peer review.
Submissions passing the initial check are sent for double-blind peer review. At least two independent reviewers with domain expertise are selected to provide critical and constructive evaluations.
Reviewers assess submissions based on:
Originality and contribution to medical science or healthcare practice
Methodological robustness and study design (e.g., RCT, cohort, meta-analysis)
Clarity of results and depth of discussion
Ethical standards, especially in studies involving human/animal subjects
Consistency with scientific reporting guidelines (e.g., CONSORT, PRISMA)
Reviewer decisions typically fall into the following categories:
Accept (as is)
Minor Revisions (editor review only)
Major Revisions (resubmission and potential re-review)
Reject
The handling editor consolidates reviewer feedback. In cases of conflicting opinions or borderline decisions, a third reviewer or editorial board consultation may be initiated.
The Editor-in-Chief, based on peer reviews and internal assessment, makes the final publication decision. Outcomes include:
Accept
Minor Revisions Required
Major Revisions Required
Reject
Authors are notified via a formal decision letter that includes all relevant reviewer comments.
Authors are typically given 2–4 weeks to respond to feedback. The revised manuscript is reviewed by the handling editor for compliance.
Authors are allowed 4–8 weeks to revise and resubmit. Revised manuscripts may undergo a second round of peer review, particularly if changes affect results or conclusions.
Rejected manuscripts are not normally reconsidered. However, if significant improvement guidance is provided, resubmission as a new manuscript may be allowed at the discretion of the editorial board.
Authors receive an email containing:
The editorial decision
Consolidated reviewer feedback
Formatting and licensing instructions (for accepted papers)
Appeals must be submitted in writing and include a detailed rationale. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated appeals panel, and their decision is final.
Upon acceptance, the final manuscript must be submitted with all required elements:
Revised manuscript
Author bios
Signed copyright/licensing agreement
Figures/tables in high-resolution format
The manuscript undergoes professional copyediting for clarity, grammar, and formatting. Authors receive final proofs for approval prior to publication.
Once finalized, the article is published in the next scheduled issue and made openly accessible under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 License.
All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, whether financial, institutional, or personal.
All research involving human or animal subjects must be approved by appropriate ethics review boards. Non-compliant submissions will be rejected or investigated further.
ApexMed supports transparent and reproducible research. Any concerns about data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation are taken seriously and may result in retraction or institutional notification.
This decision-making framework reflects ApexMed’s dedication to scientific excellence, ethical publishing, and editorial transparency, ensuring that only high-quality, peer-reviewed medical research reaches our readers.
