The International Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences (IJPBCS) e-ISSN: 2278-5191 is committed to maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals involved in the manuscript submission, peer review, and publication process. This policy is in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and readers.

1. Collection and Use of Personal Information

• The journal collects personal information such as names, affiliations, email addresses, and contact details solely for the purpose of manuscript processing, peer review, and communication.
• Personal data will not be used for marketing purposes or shared with third parties without explicit consent.
• All data is stored securely and is accessible only to authorized editorial staff.

2. Confidentiality of Manuscripts and Review Process

• All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents and will not be shared beyond the editorial team, assigned reviewers, and the publisher.
• Reviewers must not disclose manuscript details or share content with unauthorized individuals.
• The identities of reviewers and authors remain anonymous during the double-blind peer review process.

3. Protection of Reviewer and Editorial Information

• The personal and professional details of reviewers, editors, and board members are kept confidential and are not disclosed without prior consent.
• Reviewers’ reports are also confidential and shared only with authors and editorial staff.

4. Data Protection and Security

• The journal employs appropriate security measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.
• Any data breaches will be handled in compliance with data protection regulations.

5. Author Rights and Consent

• By submitting a manuscript, authors agree to the journal’s privacy policy regarding the use of their personal information for editorial and publication purposes.
• Authors retain the right to request modifications or deletions of their personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

6. Handling of Ethical Concerns and Misconduct

• Any reported ethical violations, such as plagiarism, conflicts of interest, or data fabrication, will be handled confidentially following COPE guidelines.
• If necessary, institutions or funding bodies may be contacted only after due investigation and in accordance with ethical standards.

7. Cookies and Website Privacy

• The journal’s website may use cookies to enhance user experience and track anonymized data for analytics and site functionality.
• Users can control cookie settings via their browsers.

8. Policy Updates

• This privacy policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in publication ethics, data protection laws, or COPE recommendations.
• Any updates will be communicated through the journal’s official website.

For any questions or concerns regarding privacy and data protection, please contact the IJPBCS journal’s editorial office.