Article 1 (Purpose) The purpose of these regulations and guidelines is to provide the basic rules and direction regarding to roles and responsibilities that are necessary to prevent research misconduct and secure research ethics among members and researchers of The Society of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation. These regulations and guidelines are established based on the Education, Science and Technology Minister's directive
Article 2 (Ethics of Paper) Paper submitted to this journal shall be written in compliance with ethics as follows.
1. If study targets human being, patients or their guardians shall be sufficiently explained the purpose of study and the mental and physical harm that may occur while they participate in the study based on the Declaration of Helsinki (www.wma.net/e/policy/b3.htm). Then, it shall be made clear that their consents are obtained, which shall be considered as the basic rule.
2. If study targeted animal, paper shall explain the measures that were taken to reduce pain and inconvenience of experimental animal. It shall be made clear that experiment processes are not against the ethics committee regulations of research institute or the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (www.nap.edu/reading room/books/labrats/index.html), which shall be considered as the basic rule.
3. Study shall be conducted in compliance with the ethics committee regulations of relevant hospital. If necessary, the editorial board may ask for submission of written consent and certificate of approval by the ethics committee.
Article 3 (Authorship) All authors must meet the authorship criteria of 'Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals(Dec. 2019)' listed on www.icmje.org.
The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:
1. 1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
3. Final approval of the version to be published; AND
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
In addition to being accountable for the parts of the work he or she has done, an author should be able to identify which co-authors are responsible for specific other parts of the work. In addition, authors should have confidence in the integrity of the contributions of their co-authors. All those designated as authors should meet all four criteria for authorship, and all who meet the four criteria should be identified as authors. Those who do not meet all four criteria should be acknowledged.
Article 4 (Research Misconduct) An act that corresponds to one of the items as follows shall be considered as misconduct.
1. Forgery: An act of creating data or study results that do not exist and recording or reporting of them
2. Falsification: An act of falsifying study data, equipment or process, or changing or omitting data or study results so that study records run against truth
3. Plagiarism: An act of stealing and using others' idea, process, results or records without any legitimate right
4. Redundant publication: An act of submitting or publishing the manuscript, which was published in or submitted to other journal, to or in this journal
Article 5 (Measures against Misconduct) When study related to this society and paper published in this journal are found to be act of research misconduct, measures shall be taken according to the procedures as below.
1. An independent investigation committee shall be formed to examine misconduct and violation of research ethics before notifying the investigation results to the society.
2. If research misconduct is confirmed based on the results of investigation by the committee, the examinee shall be deleted from the paper list of the journal, the person who submitted the paper shall be prohibited from submitting paper in the future (at least for three years or more), the information on misconduct shall be posted on the website, and the details shall be notified to the National Research Foundation of Korea.
Chapter 2. Roles and Responsibilities of This Society
Article 6 (Education on Research Ethics) This Society shall provide those affiliated to the society who submit paper with education on research ethics regulations that persons who conduct study and submit paper are required to comply with, on scope of misconduct, on methods to cope with misconduct, and on procedures to investigate misconduct.
Article 7 (Establishment of Self-investigation System by This Society) This Society shall establish and implement its own regulations related to investigation of research integrity, including the items mentioned below, based on these regulations and guidelines.
1. Scope of research misconduct (article 3)
2. Organization, department or person in charge of receiving report on research misconduct and conducting investigation
3. Rules to form an organization for investigation such as a committee for main investigation (hereafter referred to as "investigation committee"), procedures for investigation, and period of investigation
4. Type and standards for sanctions against misconduct
5. Measures to protect informant and examinee
Article 8 (Authority and Roles of This Society)
1. This Society shall install a place to receive report on misconduct related to research and submitted paper, examine if verification and investigation of research integrity were conducted impartially and reasonably by this society, and take follow-up measures based on the results of examination.
2. This society may begin re-investigation to verify research integrity in the following cases (article 15).
1) The case where necessity of re-investigation was acknowledged because there existed a reasonable reason for the formal objection that informant or examinee raised against the results of preliminary investigation or judgment by this society
2) The case where necessity of re-investigation was acknowledged because a significant flaw was found in the results of judgment by this society
3) The case where it is determined that This Society is unable to conduct investigation in an impartial and reasonable way
Article 9 (Protection of Informant's Right)
1. Informant means a person who informs this society of the fact or relevant evidence that misconduct was recognized.
2. Informant shall be allowed to report in all of the possible methods such as oral statement, written document, telephone, and e-mail. The basic rule is that a report shall be filed in real name. However, despite an anonymous report, if the report was filed to include research subject, name of relevant paper, and specific details and evidence of misconduct in written document or e-mail, the society shall consider the report as the one filed in real name.
3. This society shall be obliged to protect informant from disadvantage to the informant's status such as disciplinary action, discrimination in working conditions, and undue pressure or harm, all of which are attributable to report on misconduct. The society shall take necessary measures.
4. Matters on informant's identity shall not be subject to disclosure of information. If informant's identity is disclosed against the will of informant for the reason that the formant filed a report, this society along with the organization that the informant belongs to shall take responsibility for receipt and verification of the report.
5. If informant is willing to know the procedures and schedule of investigation that is conducted after misconduct is reported, the informant shall sincerely accede to the investigation.
6. If informant filed a report even though the informant knew or could know that the report was false, the informant's identify shall not be protected.
Article 10 (Protection of Examinee's Right)
1. Examinee means a person that is the target of investigation on misconduct due to a report or recognition by this society or the target of investigation as the investigation indicates that the person is presumed to be involved in misconduct. Testifier or witness in the process of investigation shall not be considered as examinee.
2. This society shall be careful not to infringe on honor or right of examinee unduly in the process of verification.
3. Suspicion of misconduct shall not be made public until the results of judgment are determined.
4. Examinee may make a request of being informed of procedures and schedule of misconduct investigation and processing. The examinee shall sincerely accede to the investigation.
3. Procedures of and Standards for Verification of Research Integrity
Article 11 (Time Limit for Verification of Integrity)
1. The basic rule is not to process a report on misconduct even though the report was filed if the misconduct was committed full five years ago from the receipt date of the report.
2. Even though the misconduct was committed five years ago, the misconduct report shall be processed in the case where examinee directly quoted the results of such misconduct to use them for report and presentation of study results within five years or the case where there is a risk or a concern about risk to public welfare or safety.
Article 12 (Rules on Verification of Integrity)
1. This society and the investigation committee shall take responsibility for substantiation of misconduct. However, if examinee damaged the data on purpose that were requested by the investigation committee or refused to submit such data, the examinee shall be responsible for verification of integrity of the contents that are acknowledged to be included in the requested data.
2. The investigation committee shall guarantee that informant and examinee have the equal right and opportunity to state opinions, raise objection and defend themselves. The committee shall inform them of relevant procedures in advance.
3. The president of this society shall make an effort to ensure that the investigation committee is able to maintain independence and fairness without any undue pressure or inference.
Article 13 (Procedures for Verification of Integrity)
1. Verification procedures for misconduct shall consist of preliminary investigation stage, main investigation stage and judgment stage in this order.
2. This society may include the procedures that are deemed to be necessary, which are other than the verification procedures mentioned in the paragraph 1, to conduct investigation.
Article 14 (Preliminary Investigation)
1. Preliminary investigation means procedures to determine if it is necessary to conduct investigation on suspicion of misconduct. The preliminary investigation shall begin within 30 days from the receipt date of report. This Society voluntarily determines the format of preliminary investigation unit.
2. If the results of preliminary investigation fully acknowledge that examinee committed misconduct, it shall be allowed to make judgment without going through procedures for main investigation. If it is deemed that there is a possibility of significant damage to evidential materials, it shall be allowed to take measures to secure the evidential materials under the approval by the president of this society even before the investigation committee is formed.
3. If decision in preliminary investigation is made not to conduct main investigation, specific reasons for such decision shall be notified to informant in written form within ten days from the date of such decision. However, this is not applied to anonymous report.
4. If informant protests against the results of preliminary investigation, the informant shall be allowed to raise objection to this society within 30 days from the receipt date of notification.
Article 15 (Main Investigation)
1. Main investigation means procedures to substantiate misconduct. The main investigation shall be conducted after investigation committee is formed in accordance with regulations.
2. According to regulations, the investigation committee shall provide informant and examinee with an opportunity to state opinions. Before the committee determines the results of main investigation, it shall provide informant and examinee with an opportunity to raise objection and defend themselves. If informant or examinee does not accept such opportunity, it is deemed that the informant or examinee has no objection.
3. Report on investigation results shall include the details on objection or argument by informant and examinee and the results of handling of the objection or argument.
Article 16 (Judgment)
1. Judgment means procedures to determine the results of main investigation and notify informant and examinee of the results in written form.
2. All of the investigative activities from beginning of preliminary investigation to judgment shall be finished within six months. However, if it is deemed to be difficult to complete investigation in such period, this society may announce the reason before extending the period for investigation.
3. If informant or examinee protests against the results of judgment, the informant or examinee shall be allowed to file an objection in This Society within 30 days from the receipt date of notification. If this society finds that the objection is reasonable and valid, it shall conduct re-investigation firsthand.
Article 17 (Rules to Form Investigation Committee)
1. The basic rule is to form investigation committee that has five or more members.
2. The investigation committee shall include experts in relevant research field and outsiders, other than persons who belong to this society, in relevant field as follows.
1) 50% or more for experts in relevant research field
2) 20% or more for outsiders who do not belong to this society
3. This society shall notify informant of the list of investigation committee members pursuant to regulations in the paragraph 1 before main investigation begins. If the informant raises a valid objection in regard to avoidance of investigation committee member, the society shall accept the objection.
Article 18 (Authority of Investigation Committee)
1. Investigation committee may request that informant, examinee, witness and testifier appear to make a statement in the process of investigation. In this case, the examinee shall accept the request.
2. The investigation committee may call on examinee to submit materials. In order to secure evidential materials, the committee may restrict any person involved in misconduct from entering laboratory and confiscate and keep relevant materials for research and paper submission under the approval by the president of this society.
3. The investigation committee may suggest that the president of this society should take proper sanctions against any person involved in the misconduct that is found out to be true.
Article 19 (Disclosure of Investigation Records and Information)
1. Investigation committee shall keep all of the records in the investigation process that are in the form of audio, video or document for five years or more. This society shall also keep report on investigation results for 10 years or more.
2. The report on investigation results and the list of investigation committee members may be made public after judgment is completed.
3. The list of investigation committee members, witness, testifier, and person involved in consultation may not be made public if there is a possibility that the disclose is disadvantageous to any person concerned.
Article 20 (Report of Investigation Results)
1. Investigation committee shall report the results and details of preliminary investigation and main investigation to this society within 10 days after the end of preliminary investigation and after the completion of judgment respectively. However, this is not applied to the case where this society is responsible for direct investigation in accordance with regulations.
2. The report on the results of preliminary investigation and main investigation shall include the matters on the following items.
1) Contents of report
2) Misconduct that is the target of investigation
3) List of investigation committee members (limited to main investigation)
4) Decision on whether or not main investigation should be conducted and reason for such decision (limited to preliminary investigation)
5) Roles of examinee in relevant research and truth about committing misconduct (limited to main investigation)
6) Relevant evidence and witness (limited to main investigation)
7) Details on objection or argument by informant and examinee and the results of handling of such objection or argument (limited to main investigation)
Article 21 (Measures against Dishonest Act in Research)
1. If any accusation is made of dishonest act in the research related to the society or the research paper published in the journal, the committee shall conduct appropriate investigation and handling of the accusation.
2. Investigation of dishonest act in research shall be conducted under confidentiality. The investigation shall not run against interest of the society or research order organization.
3. Anyone who is under suspicion of dishonest act in research shall have the right to make an objection to the results of investigation conducted by the committee. The committee shall guarantee such right in a proper manner.
4. The results of investigation on dishonest act in research shall be reported to the society. The records of investigation results shall be kept at the society for five years from the day when the case was closed.
5. If necessary, the committee may ask for attendance of the person who is under suspicion of dishonest act in research and provide the person with the opportunity to defend himself or herself and make a counter- argument.
6. If the investigation results are determined to prove dishonest act in research, this shall be announced before the follow-up measures as below may be taken based on the decision by the standing board of directors.
1) Sending a letter of reprimand by the society
2) Demand on cancellation or modification of the relevant research results
3) Replacement of the person involved in the relevant research project
4) Disqualification of membership for a reasonable period of time
5) Expulsion
6) Prohibition of paper submission in the future (for at least three years or more)
7) Posting of information on the relevant wrongdoing on homepage
8) Notification of information on the relevant wrongdoing to the National Research Foundation of Korea
9) Making an accusation to legal institution, etc.
10) If the investigation results are determined to prove that there was no dishonest act in research, the committee may take proper follow- up measures to restore honor of the accused or suspect.
Article 22 (Follow-up Measures and Follow-up Management Plan for Report on Investigation Results)
1. This society may conduct re-investigation firsthand in accordance with regulations if it is deemed that details and results of the reported investigation have some problems in rationality and validity.
2. This society shall take follow-up measures based on the results of judgment and investigation before notifying them to examinee.
3. This society shall provide its members on a regular basis with education on research ethics regulations that researchers and persons who submit paper should comply with, on scope of misconduct, on methods to cope with misconduct, and on procedures for verification.
Addendum
1. (Enforcement Date) These regulations and guidelines come into effect on November 1, 2007 as they are established to be used as the research ethics regulations of The Society of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation.