Privacy Statement

At Biomed Thought, we are committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the security of your personal data. This Privacy Statement explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal information when you interact with our journal, whether you are an author, reviewer, editor, or reader. We comply with relevant data protection laws to ensure that your personal information is handled with care.

1. Information We Collect:

We collect the following types of personal data:

  • Author Information: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, phone number, ORCID ID (if applicable), co-author details, and manuscript-related data (e.g., title, abstract, keywords).

  • Reviewer Information: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, areas of expertise, and feedback provided during the peer review process.

  • Editor Information: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, and professional details related to editorial responsibilities.

  • Website Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our website, including IP addresses, device types, browser types, pages visited, and browsing behavior. This helps us analyze and improve website functionality and user experience.

2. How We Use Your Information:

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:

  • For Authors:

    • To process and manage manuscript submissions and ensure smooth communication throughout the editorial and publishing process.
    • To facilitate publication and provide authors with information regarding the acceptance, revision, or rejection of their manuscript.

  • For Reviewers:

    • To invite reviewers, assign them to manuscripts, and manage the peer review process.
    • To share reviewer feedback with authors and facilitate communication regarding review decisions.

  • For Editors:

    • To assist with editorial decisions, manage the manuscript submission process, and facilitate communication between authors, reviewers, and editorial staff.

  • For Website Functionality:

    • To improve website functionality, analyze usage data, and provide a better user experience for our readers, authors, reviewers, and editors.

  • For Communication:

    • To send updates, newsletters, and notifications related to the journal, such as new articles, special issues, and relevant announcements.

3. Sharing of Personal Information:

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your data in the following circumstances:

  • Peer Review Process: Author details (name, title, abstract) are shared with invited reviewers to facilitate the review process. Reviewers’ identities remain confidential, and they are prohibited from sharing manuscript content with others.

  • Service Providers: We may share your personal data with third-party service providers who assist with our journal’s operations (e.g., manuscript submission systems, hosting services). These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and only use it for purposes related to the services they provide.

  • Legal Compliance: We may disclose personal information if required by law or in response to legal processes, such as a subpoena, court order, or government request.

4. Data Security:

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure that your personal data is securely stored and protected from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. However, please note that no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Data Retention:

We retain personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including the manuscript review and publication process, communication with authors, and archival purposes. Once the data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it, unless retention is required by law.

6. Your Rights:

Under applicable data protection laws, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to Correct: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
  • Right to Erasure: You can request that we delete your personal data under certain conditions.
  • Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we restrict the processing of your data under specific circumstances.
  • Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your data, particularly for direct marketing purposes.
  • Right to Portability: You can request to receive your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format and transfer it to another organization.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact details below.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies:

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance the user experience on our website. Cookies are small data files placed on your device to help us understand website usage and improve our services. You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, but this may affect your ability to access certain features of our website.

8. Third-Party Websites:

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. Biomed Thought is not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of third-party websites before submitting personal information.

9. Updates to This Privacy Statement:

We may update this Privacy Statement from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Statement periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal information.