Appeal Process

1. Purpose and Scope
Biomed Thought (BT) is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and professional integrity in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the procedure for submitting and handling complaints and appeals regarding the editorial process, publishing ethics, and the conduct of the editorial team or publisher. We welcome constructive feedback to improve our processes.

2. Scope of Complaints and Appeals
We accept submissions regarding the following:

  • Appeals Against Editorial Decisions: Authors may appeal manuscript rejections or decisions to retract or correct a published article.

  • Procedural Complaints: Complaints regarding unreasonable delays in peer review, mishandling of manuscripts, or failure to follow established policies.

  • Ethical Complaints: Concerns about potential misconduct, such as plagiarism, data falsification, authorship disputes, or unethical research practices.

  • Conduct Complaints: Concerns about the behavior or professionalism of editors, reviewers, or editorial staff.

3. Submission Procedure
To file a complaint or appeal, the concerned party must submit a written request to the Editorial Office of Biomed Thought (BT) at editor@biomedthought.com. The submission must include:

  1. The manuscript ID and title (if applicable).

  2. A clear and detailed explanation of the complaint or grounds for appeal.

  3. Specific supporting evidence or documentation.

Appeals against editorial decisions must be based on substantive academic grounds or factual errors, not merely a disagreement with the editorial judgment.

4. Review Process and Timeline
All complaints will be handled confidentially and investigated fairly.

  1. Acknowledgment: The Editorial Office will acknowledge receipt within 5 working days.

  2. Initial Review: An initial review by the Editor-in-Chief will be conducted within 2 weeks to determine validity and scope.

  3. Investigation: For complex issues, an independent review panel may be convened, or consultation with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) may be sought.

  4. Outcome: A final decision and rationale will be communicated to the complainant within 4–6 weeks of the initial acknowledgment.

5. Confidentiality and Anonymity
All parties involved are required to treat the matter as confidential. Whistleblowers or complainants may request anonymity, and the Journal will take reasonable steps to protect their identity, provided the request does not hinder a fair investigation.

6. Escalation
If a complainant is unsatisfied with the final decision, they may escalate the matter to MIND QUEST RESEARCH & EDUCATIONAL CENTER (SMC-PRIVATE) LIMITED. For unresolved ethical cases, the Journal will seek guidance from COPE and may refer the matter to their institution or funding body.