Generative AI Policy
Policy Number: TGM-GAI-001
Version: 1.0
1. PREAMBLE
The Gazette of Medicine (TGM) recognizes the rapid evolution and increasing use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies in biomedical research, scholarly communication, and scientific publishing. Tools such as large language models (LLMs), AI-assisted writing platforms, image generators, statistical assistants, coding assistants, and literature analysis tools have the potential to enhance research productivity and improve manuscript preparation. However, their use also introduces significant ethical, legal, scientific, and accountability concerns.
TGM is committed to ensuring that the use of Generative AI in research and publication supports, rather than compromises, scientific integrity, transparency, originality, accountability, patient confidentiality, and public trust.
This statement establishes the Journal's principles and requirements regarding the acceptable use of Generative AI by authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff. It is aligned with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), the Council of Science Editors (CSE), and major scholarly publishers.
2. PURPOSE
This statement aims to:
· Promote responsible and transparent use of Generative AI in scholarly publishing.
· Protect the integrity and reliability of the scientific record.
· Define acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI by authors, reviewers, and editors.
· Clarify disclosure requirements.
· Ensure accountability for all published content.
· Safeguard confidentiality during peer review.
· Prevent scientific misconduct arising from inappropriate AI use.
3. SCOPE
This statement applies to:
· Authors
· Co-authors
· Reviewers
· Editors
· Editorial Board Members
· Guest Editors
· Editorial Office Staff
· Publishers
· Contributors to all manuscript categories submitted to TGM
It covers the use of Generative AI throughout the research, writing, submission, peer-review, editorial, and publication processes.
4. DEFINITION OF GENERATIVE AI
For the purposes of this policy, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) refers to computational systems capable of producing human-like content in response to prompts. These systems may generate or assist with:
· Text
· Images
· Graphs
· Tables
· Computer code
· Statistical analyses
· Audio
· Video
· Translations
· Literature summaries
· Data visualizations
Examples include, but are not limited to, large language models (LLMs), AI writing assistants, AI coding assistants, AI image-generation systems, AI-powered statistical software, and machine translation tools.
5. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
The use of AI in scholarly publishing must adhere to the following principles:
· Transparency: AI use must be disclosed.
· Accountability: Human authors remain fully responsible for all content.
· Accuracy: AI-generated outputs must be carefully verified.
· Integrity: AI must not be used to fabricate or falsify research.
· Confidentiality: AI must not compromise confidential information.
· Ethical Compliance: AI use must comply with research ethics, copyright, and data protection laws.
6. ACCEPTABLE USE OF GENERATIVE AI BY AUTHORS
TGM permits the responsible use of AI for supportive tasks that do not replace human intellectual contributions. Examples include:
6.1 Language Editing
AI may be used to:
· Improve grammar.
· Enhance spelling.
· Improve sentence structure.
· Increase readability.
· Correct punctuation.
· Improve clarity.
6.2 Formatting Assistance
AI may assist with:
· Formatting references.
· Organizing headings.
· Structuring manuscripts.
· Formatting tables.
6.3 Coding Assistance
AI tools may assist with writing or debugging computer code used in research, provided the code is verified by the authors.
6.4 Literature Organization
AI may assist with:
· Organizing literature.
· Categorizing references.
· Identifying themes.
· Managing citations.
6.5 Translation
AI-assisted translation may be used, provided authors verify the scientific accuracy and clarity of the translated text.
6.6 Data Visualization
AI tools may assist in producing graphs, diagrams, and visualizations from valid research data, provided they accurately represent the underlying data and any AI assistance is disclosed.
7. UNACCEPTABLE USE OF GENERATIVE AI BY AUTHORS
The following uses are strictly prohibited:
· Fabricating research data.
· Falsifying results.
· Inventing references or citations.
· Creating fictitious participants or patients.
· Generating false ethics approval information.
· Producing fraudulent images or figures.
· Manipulating research findings.
· Writing peer-review reports under false authorship.
· Circumventing plagiarism detection.
· Generating misleading or deceptive scientific content.
· Using AI to conceal misconduct.
· Uploading confidential patient information or identifiable personal data into public AI platforms without appropriate authorization and legal safeguards.
Such practices constitute research misconduct and may result in rejection, retraction, institutional notification, or sanctions.
8. AUTHOR DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS
Authors must disclose any substantive use of Generative AI in the preparation of their manuscript.
Disclosure should include:
· The name of the AI tool.
· The version (if applicable).
· The purpose for which it was used.
· The sections of the manuscript affected.
· Confirmation that the authors reviewed and verified all AI-generated content.
Routine use of AI for minor spelling or grammar corrections does not ordinarily require disclosure unless it significantly influenced the content.
9. SAMPLE AI DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
Authors may include the following statement where applicable:
Generative AI Statement: During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [name of AI tool] to assist with language editing and improvement of manuscript readability. The authors reviewed, verified, and edited all AI-generated content and accept full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the final manuscript. No AI tool was used to generate research data, interpret findings, draw scientific conclusions, or determine authorship.
10. AUTHORSHIP
Generative AI systems cannot be listed as authors. AI tools do not meet internationally recognized criteria for authorship because they cannot:
· Accept responsibility for published work.
· Approve the final manuscript.
· Declare conflicts of interest.
· Respond to editorial correspondence.
· Take responsibility for scientific integrity.
Only human contributors who satisfy the Journal's authorship criteria may be listed as authors.
11. HUMAN ACCOUNTABILITY
Authors remain fully responsible for:
· Accuracy.
· Originality.
· Data integrity.
· Statistical analyses.
· References.
· Ethical compliance.
· Scientific conclusions.
· Copyright compliance.
· AI-generated outputs.
Use of AI does not reduce or transfer author responsibility.
12. PEER REVIEW
Reviewers must not upload confidential manuscripts, reviewer reports, or unpublished data into publicly accessible AI platforms or services that retain or reuse submitted content.
If reviewers use AI-assisted tools for language improvement of their reports, they remain fully responsible for the content, confidentiality, and integrity of the review.
Reviewers should disclose to the Editor if AI materially assisted in preparing their review.
13. EDITORIAL USE OF AI
Editors may use AI for limited administrative purposes, including:
· Grammar checking.
· Language editing.
· Identifying incomplete submissions.
· Detecting formatting inconsistencies.
· Screening for potential plagiarism or image manipulation using appropriate tools.
Editorial decisions—including manuscript acceptance, rejection, revision requests, or ethical investigations—must always be made by qualified human editors. AI must not replace editorial judgment.
14. CONFIDENTIALITY
Authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff must not upload confidential manuscripts, unpublished data, peer-review reports, or identifiable participant information into AI systems that may store, train on, or disclose such information without appropriate legal authority and safeguards.
The Journal encourages the use of secure AI tools that comply with applicable data protection and privacy regulations.
15. RESEARCH DATA AND PATIENT PRIVACY
AI tools must not be used in ways that compromise:
· Participant confidentiality.
· Patient privacy.
· Sensitive personal information.
· Institutional confidentiality.
· Proprietary research data.
Authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable ethical approvals, informed consent requirements, and data protection legislation.
16. COPYRIGHT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Authors must ensure that AI-assisted content does not infringe copyright, licensing terms, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights. The use of AI-generated text, figures, images, or code remains subject to the Journal's Copyright Policy and Licence Statement.
17. PLAGIARISM AND HALLUCINATIONS
AI systems may generate inaccurate information ("hallucinations"), fabricated references, or text that closely resembles copyrighted material.
Authors must verify:
· Every citation.
· Every reference.
· Every factual statement.
· Every statistical value.
· Every quotation.
· Every AI-generated output.
Submission of unverified AI-generated content may be treated as negligence or research misconduct, depending on the circumstances.
18. SANCTIONS FOR MISUSE
Failure to comply with this statement may result in:
· Requests for clarification or revision.
· Rejection of the manuscript.
· Withdrawal of the manuscript from consideration.
· Retraction of a published article.
· Notification of authors' institutions or funders where appropriate.
· Temporary or permanent restriction on future submissions in cases of serious or repeated misconduct.
19. POLICY REVIEW
This Generative AI Statement shall be reviewed every two (2) years, or earlier if warranted by significant developments in AI technologies, publishing standards, or ethical guidance.
20. CONTACT INFORMATION
Editorial Office
The Gazette of Medicine (TGM)
Journal of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD)
University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH)
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Email: [Insert Official Journal Email]
Website: [Insert Official Journal Website]
21. REFERENCES AND GUIDING STANDARDS
This statement has been developed with reference to the following internationally recognized guidance:
1. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Position Statement: Authorship and AI Tools and COPE Discussion Document on AI and Publication Ethics.
2. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals.
3. World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). Recommendations on Chatbots, Generative AI, and Scholarly Publishing.
4. Council of Science Editors (CSE). Guidance on Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Publishing.
5. Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.
6. UNESCO. Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021).
7. World Health Organization (WHO). Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health.
Appendix A: Recommended AI Disclosure Form
Authors should complete the following declaration at submission:
· Was any Generative AI tool used in preparing this manuscript? □ Yes □ No
· Name of AI tool(s): ____________________________________
· Version (if known): ____________________________________
· Purpose of use (e.g., language editing, translation, coding assistance): ____________________________________
· Sections affected: ____________________________________
· Confirmation:
□ I/We confirm that all AI-assisted content has been reviewed, verified, and edited by the authors.
□ I/We accept full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, ethical compliance, and integrity of the submitted manuscript.
Recommended Website Notice
Generative AI Policy: The Gazette of Medicine (TGM) permits the responsible use of Generative AI tools for limited supportive purposes, such as language editing, formatting, coding assistance, and data visualization, provided their use is transparently disclosed. AI tools cannot be listed as authors and must not be used to fabricate data, generate false citations, manipulate research findings, or compromise confidentiality. Human authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all submitted and published work. This policy aligns with current guidance from COPE, ICMJE, WAME, CSE, and UNESCO.
