Privacy Policy
1. INTRODUCTION
The Gazette of Medicine (TGM), the official scientific journal of the Association of Resident Doctors, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (ARD-UPTH), is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal information obtained from authors, reviewers, editors, readers, subscribers, and website visitors.
This Privacy Policy explains how TGM collects, uses, stores, processes, protects, and discloses personal information in connection with manuscript submission, peer review, publication processes, journal management activities, and website usage. By submitting manuscripts, reviewing articles, registering on our platform, or accessing our services, users consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
2. SCOPE OF THE POLICY
This Privacy Policy applies to:
· Authors and co-authors
· Peer reviewers
· Editorial board members
· Journal staff
· Readers and subscribers
· Website visitors
· Conference participants associated with journal activities
· Researchers communicating with the journal
This policy covers both electronic and printed journal operations.
3. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
3.1 Personal Information
TGM may collect the following personal information:
Authors
· Full name
· Academic qualifications
· Institutional affiliation
· Department
· ORCID iD
· Email address
· Telephone number
· Correspondence address
· Curriculum vitae (where required)
· Funding information
· Conflict of interest declarations
Reviewers
· Full name
· Academic qualifications
· Area of expertise
· Institutional affiliation
· ORCID iD
· Email address
· Professional profile information
Editors and Editorial Board Members
· Full name
· Professional qualifications
· Institutional affiliation
· Contact information
· Academic and publication records
Subscribers and Readers
· Name
· Email address
· Institutional affiliation
· Subscription preferences
3.2 Manuscript Information
We collect information submitted as part of manuscript processing, including:
· Manuscript files
· Figures and tables
· Supplementary materials
· Ethical approval documentation
· Informed consent statements
· Funding disclosures
· Conflict of interest declarations
· Author contribution statements
· Data availability statements
3.3 Website Information
When users visit the journal website, we may automatically collect:
· IP address
· Browser type
· Device information
· Operating system
· Access dates and times
· Referring website information
· Pages viewed
· Website usage patterns
4. PURPOSE OF DATA COLLECTION
TGM collects and processes personal information for the following purposes:
4.1 Editorial and Publication Activities
To:
· Process manuscript submissions
· Conduct peer review
· Communicate editorial decisions
· Publish accepted manuscripts
· Maintain publication records
· Prevent publication misconduct
· Manage corrections and retractions
4.2 Journal Administration
To:
· Manage user accounts
· Maintain editorial databases
· Respond to inquiries
· Provide journal updates
· Improve journal services
· Generate publication statistics
4.3 Research Integrity and Ethics
To:
· Verify author identity
· Confirm reviewer qualifications
· Investigate ethical concerns
· Detect plagiarism
· Identify duplicate submissions
· Prevent scientific misconduct
4.4 Legal and Regulatory Compliance
To:
· Meet legal obligations
· Comply with research governance requirements
· Fulfil institutional mandates
· Address legal claims or disputes
5. LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING DATA
TGM processes personal information based on:
· Consent provided by users
· Legitimate interests in scholarly publishing
· Performance of contractual obligations
· Compliance with legal requirements
· Protection of scientific integrity
6. CONFIDENTIALITY OF MANUSCRIPTS
All manuscripts submitted to TGM are treated as confidential documents.
Access to submitted manuscripts is restricted to:
· Editors
· Editorial staff
· Assigned peer reviewers
· Journal management personnel when necessary
Reviewers and editors are required to maintain strict confidentiality regarding:
· Manuscript content
· Author information
· Research data
· Editorial decisions
· Peer review reports
Confidential information must not be shared, copied, distributed, or used for personal benefit.
7. PEER REVIEW PRIVACY
7.1 Reviewer Information
Reviewer identities are protected according to the journal's peer-review model.
Reviewer information shall be used solely for:
· Reviewer selection
· Editorial correspondence
· Quality assurance
· Reviewer recognition programs
Reviewer personal information will not be disclosed without permission except where required by law or ethical investigations.
7.2 Review Reports
Peer review reports may be retained for:
· Editorial records
· Quality monitoring
· Misconduct investigations
· Appeals and complaints management
8. AUTHOR PRIVACY
Authors retain ownership of personal information submitted to the journal.
Published articles may contain:
· Author names
· Institutional affiliations
· Corresponding author contact details
· ORCID identifiers
· Funding disclosures
· Conflict of interest declarations
Such information is published as part of the scholarly record.
9. RESEARCH PARTICIPANT PRIVACY
Authors must ensure that research involving human participants protects participant confidentiality.
Manuscripts must not contain:
· Patient names
· Hospital numbers
· Residential addresses
· Telephone numbers
· Photographs capable of identifying participants without consent
· Any identifying personal information
Where identifiable information is necessary, documented informed consent must be obtained before submission.
10. DATA SECURITY
TGM implements reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards to protect information against:
· Unauthorized access
· Accidental loss
· Alteration
· Misuse
· Disclosure
· Destruction
Security measures may include:
· Password-protected systems
· Access controls
· Secure servers
· Regular system monitoring
· Data backup procedures
Despite these measures, no electronic transmission system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
11. DATA RETENTION
TGM retains information only for as long as necessary to fulfill publishing, legal, ethical, and archival requirements.
Retention periods may include:
|
Data Category |
Retention Period |
|
Published articles |
Permanently |
|
Manuscript records |
Minimum of 10 years |
|
Peer review records |
Minimum of 10 years |
|
Editorial correspondence |
Minimum of 10 years |
|
Website logs |
As required for operational purposes |
Published scholarly records are maintained permanently to preserve the integrity of scientific literature.
12. DATA SHARING AND DISCLOSURE
TGM does not sell personal information.
Information may be shared only with:
12.1 Publishing Partners
Where necessary for:
· Journal hosting
· Indexing services
· Archiving services
· DOI registration agencies
12.2 Regulatory and Ethical Bodies
Information may be disclosed to:
· Research ethics committees
· Academic institutions
· Professional regulatory bodies
· Government authorities
when required for investigations of misconduct or legal compliance.
12.3 Legal Requirements
Information may be disclosed where required by:
· Court orders
· Statutory obligations
· Regulatory investigations
· Law enforcement requests
13. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
Where journal systems, repositories, indexing services, or hosting providers operate outside Nigeria, personal information may be transferred internationally.
TGM will take reasonable measures to ensure appropriate safeguards are implemented to protect transferred data.
14. COOKIES AND WEBSITE TRACKING
The journal website may use cookies and related technologies to:
· Improve user experience
· Maintain website functionality
· Monitor website performance
· Analyze website traffic
Users may disable cookies through browser settings; however, certain website features may become unavailable.
15. RIGHTS OF DATA SUBJECTS
Subject to applicable laws, individuals may have the right to:
· Access personal information
· Correct inaccurate information
· Request deletion of information
· Restrict processing
· Object to processing
· Withdraw consent
· Request data portability
Requests shall be evaluated in accordance with legal, editorial, and archival obligations.
16. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY
TGM does not knowingly collect personal information from individuals below the age of 18 years without appropriate authorization.
If such information is identified, reasonable steps shall be taken to remove it.
17. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES
The journal website may contain links to external websites and services.
TGM is not responsible for:
· Privacy practices of third-party websites
· Content hosted externally
· Security measures implemented by third parties
Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of external services.
18. BREACH NOTIFICATION
In the event of a significant data breach, TGM will:
· Investigate the incident promptly
· Mitigate potential harm
· Notify affected individuals where appropriate
· Notify relevant authorities when legally required
· Implement corrective actions
19. POLICY REVIEW AND AMENDMENT
This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect:
· Changes in legal requirements
· Technological developments
· Editorial practices
· Institutional policies
Updated versions shall be published on the journal website and become effective upon publication.
20. CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact:
The Editor-in-Chief
The Gazette of Medicine (TGM)
Association of Resident Doctors (ARD)
University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH)
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Email: [Insert Journal Email]
Telephone: []
Website: []
21. CONSENT
By submitting manuscripts, registering as a reviewer, subscribing to journal communications, or using journal services, users acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to this Privacy Policy.
Approved by:
Editorial Board, The Gazette of Medicine (TGM)
Owner:
Association of Resident Doctors (ARD)
University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH)
Version: 1.0
