Policies

Archives of Family and Biomedicine (Arch Fam Biomed)

Journal Policies

1. Introduction

The Archives of Family and Biomedicine (ArchFBM) is a peer-reviewed, open-access medical research journal published three times per year, established in June 2025 under Ayesha Polyclinic. The journal publishes high-quality scientific work in medicine, family medicine, and biomedical sciences. It follows international publication standards to ensure transparency, academic integrity, and ethical responsibility.

2. Scope of the Journal

ArchFBM publishes research across:

  • Family Medicine

  • Preventive Medicine & Public Health

  • Health Systems & Policies

  • Biomedical Sciences

  • Clinical Research

  • Community Health

  • General Medicine

  • Surgery & Allied Health Sciences

  • Case Reports, Reviews, and Short Communications

3. Publication Frequency

AFBM is an open-access journal published three times per year in the following months:

  • January

  • May

  • September

4. Peer Review Policy

  • All submissions undergo double blind peer review.

  • Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent experts.

  • Reviewers remain anonymous to authors and vice versa.

  • The editorial team may reject manuscripts without review if they fall outside the journal’s scope or fail to meet basic quality standards.

  • Final acceptance is decided by the Editor in Chief.

5. Open Access Policy

ArchFBM follows:

  • Open access model.

  • All articles are freely available online.

  • No subscription or reading fees apply.

  • Authors retain copyright under CC BY NC 4.0 (or the journal’s prevailing license).

6. Manuscript Types Accepted

  • Original Research Articles

  • Review Articles

  • Case Reports

  • Short Communications

  • Letters to the Editor

  • Editorials

  • Systematic Reviews & Meta Analyses

  • Clinical Audits

  • Technical Notes

7. Submission Guidelines

  • Manuscripts must be submitted through the official journal website: https://archfbm.com

  • Submissions must follow the journal template and Vancouver referencing style.

  • Plagiarism must be below acceptable limits (<15% similarity excluding references).

  • Manuscripts should include:

    • Title page (separate)

    • Abstract (structured)

    • Main text

    • Tables & figures

    • Ethical approval (if applicable)

    • References

8. Authorship Policy

Authorship must follow ICMJE criteria:

  • Substantial contribution to design, analysis, or interpretation

  • Drafting or critically revising the manuscript

  • Final approval of the version

  • Agreement to be accountable for the work

Guest, honorary, and gift authorships are strictly prohibited.

9. Ethical Considerations

  • Research involving humans must include institutional ethical approval.

  • Patient consent is required for case reports and identifiable images.

  • Animal research must follow international guidelines.

  • Any misconduct (fabrication, falsification, plagiarism) results in immediate action, including retraction.

10. Plagiarism Policy

ArchFBM uses plagiarism detection tools and ensures:

  • Similarity index must be <15% excluding bibliography

  • No more than 5% similarity from a single source

  • Manuscripts with plagiarism will be rejected or returned for revision

11. Conflict of Interest

Authors must declare all financial and non-financial conflicts.
Reviewers and editors must also disclose conflicts and recuse themselves when necessary.

12. Article Processing Charges (APC)

  • APC information will be updated on the website if applicable.

  • No hidden charges apply.

13. Withdrawal, Retraction & Corrections

  • Authors may withdraw manuscripts before acceptance.

  • Articles may be retracted in cases of ethical violations.

  • Corrections will be published for genuine errors.

14. Editorial Independence

The editorial team operates independently and makes decisions based solely on academic merit, without influence from sponsors or affiliated institutions.

15. Archiving & Indexing

ArchFBM ensures long term digital preservation and will pursue indexing in:

  • Google Scholar

  • DOAJ

  • CrossRef

  • Index Medicus (pending)

  • Other international indexing services

16. Contact Information

Archives of Family and Biomedicine
Website: https://archfbm.com
Email: editor@archfbm.com

This policy document is subject to periodic review and updates.