The Journal of Family Medicine, Primary Care and Community Health Indonesia (FPCHI) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and research integrity. All parties involved in the publication process — authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher — are expected to adhere to the following ethical standards, based on the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Duties and Responsibilities
Authors
Editors
Reviewers
Publisher
Core Ethical Standards
Authorship and Contributorship
Authorship must be based on the ICMJE criteria: (1) substantial contribution to conception, design, data acquisition, or analysis; (2) drafting or critically revising the manuscript; (3) final approval of the version to be published; and (4) accountability for all aspects of the work. All persons listed as authors must meet all four criteria. Those who contributed but do not qualify should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section. Any changes to authorship after submission require written justification and approval from all co-authors and the editor.
Originality and Plagiarism
All submitted manuscripts must be original and must not have been published elsewhere, nor be under simultaneous consideration by another journal. FPCHI uses plagiarism detection software (Turnitin or iThenticate) to screen all submissions. A similarity index of below 20% is required, excluding references, quotations, and common phrases. Any form of plagiarism — including self-plagiarism, text recycling, and data fabrication — constitutes unethical behavior and will result in rejection or retraction.
Duplicate Publication and Simultaneous Submission
Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously. Submitting work that has been previously published — in whole or in substantial part — is not permitted. Secondary publication in a different language may be acceptable with prior written approval from the editors of both journals and proper disclosure.
Conflicts of Interest
All authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the work, including funding sources, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, or personal relationships. Editors and reviewers must also declare potential conflicts and recuse themselves when necessary. Disclosures are published alongside accepted articles.
Research Involving Human Subjects and Animals
Research involving human participants must have been approved by an appropriate institutional ethics committee or review board (IRB/KEPK) and must have been conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent must be obtained from all participants or their legal representatives. Patient anonymity must be strictly maintained. Studies involving animals must comply with institutional, national, or international guidelines for the humane care and use of laboratory animals.
Confidentiality
All manuscripts under review are confidential documents. Editors and reviewers must not disclose any information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the authors and designated editorial staff. The identities of reviewers are kept confidential throughout the review process.
Data Integrity and Availability
Authors are required to accurately report their data and methods. Raw data underlying the study should be retained and made available to editors upon request. FPCHI encourages authors to deposit research data in recognized public repositories and provide a data availability statement in the manuscript. Fabrication or falsification of data constitutes scientific misconduct and will result in immediate rejection and reporting to the authors' institution.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools
AI-generated text, images, or data must be disclosed in the Methods or Acknowledgements section. AI tools (e.g., large language models) cannot be listed as authors, as they cannot take accountability for the work. Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of any content produced with AI assistance.
Handling Misconduct and Post-Publication Corrections
Corrections and Retractions
If errors or misconduct are identified after publication, FPCHI will take appropriate action in accordance with COPE guidelines, including issuing corrections (errata), expressions of concern, or retractions. Retracted articles remain in the online archive clearly marked as retracted, with the reason for retraction stated. The journal encourages authors to proactively notify the editorial office of any errors discovered post-publication.
Complaints and Appeals
Authors who wish to appeal an editorial decision or raise a concern regarding publication ethics may contact the Editor-in-Chief at editor@fpchi.org. All complaints will be handled confidentially and investigated in accordance with COPE's recommended procedures. Authors, reviewers, or readers who suspect misconduct are encouraged to report it to the editorial office.
Compliance and Standards
FPCHI's publication ethics policy is guided by and consistent with the standards of:
