Complaints Handling

Complaints Policy for the Publication of Scholarly Materials

The Editorial Board of the journal Social Pharmacy in Health Care is committed to ensuring a transparent, fair, and effective procedure for the consideration of complaints arising in the course of the submission, review, and publication of scholarly materials. This policy is intended to protect the rights of authors, reviewers, and readers, as well as to uphold high standards of publication ethics and academic integrity.

Authors or other interested parties may submit a complaint in cases including:

  • unfair or biased peer review;
  • infringement of copyright or violations of academic integrity;
  • delays in processing submitted materials or incomplete handling of submissions without objective reasons;
  • technical or administrative errors in the publication process.

Complaints should be sent to the official email address of the Journal’s editorial office. The complaint must clearly indicate the title of the article, the date of submission, the nature of the complaint, and the desired outcome of its consideration. The Editorial Board confirms receipt of the complaint within 3–5 working days.

The procedure for the consideration of complaints is documented, impartial, and aimed at ensuring a fair resolution. It includes the following stages:

  • preliminary assessment by the Editorial Board to determine whether the complaint falls within the Journal’s competence and to establish the priority of its consideration;
  • appointment of a responsible editor or a special group that was not involved in the peer review or publication of the disputed material;
  • examination of relevant documents, correspondence, peer review reports, and any other materials related to the complaint;
  • consultation with external experts, where necessary, in order to assess the objectivity and fairness of the editorial process;
  • adoption of a written decision by the Editorial Board, which shall be communicated to the author or complainant.

As a rule, complaints are reviewed within 30 working days. In complex cases, this period may be extended, and the complainant will be informed in advance.

Depending on the results of the review, the Editorial Board may take one or more of the following actions:

  • correction of errors in the publication;
  • re-review of the article;
  • provision of written explanations and recommendations;
  • application of appropriate disciplinary measures in cases where ethical violations are identified.