Manuscript File

• Anonymised — no author names or affiliations in text
• Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced
• Continuous line numbering throughout
• A4 page size, 2.5 cm margins on all sides
• Word count within the specified range for article type
• Structured or unstructured abstract as required
• 5–8 MeSH-preferred keywords listed
• Vancouver-style references, numbered sequentially
• All tables and figures numbered and captioned
• File format: .doc or .docx

Ethics and Declarations

• Ethics committee (KEPK) approval number included (human studies)
• Declaration of Helsinki compliance confirmed
• Informed consent statement included where applicable
• AI use disclosed (tools, extent, author responsibility confirmed)
• Conflict of interest declared (or "none to declare")
• Funding sources disclosed
• Author contributions described

Supporting Documents

• Cover letter (separate file, includes article type, novelty statement)
• Title page (separate file, with full author details and affiliations)
• Turnitin similarity report (must be below 20% for acceptance)
• High-resolution figures as separate image files (min 300 dpi)
• Supplementary material labelled clearly (if applicable)
• ORCID iD provided for all authors

Original Research

Reports findings of original empirical research including cohort studies, randomised controlled trials, cross-sectional studies, and qualitative research in medical law and health policy.

Review Article

Comprehensive synthesis of existing literature on a defined topic. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are strongly encouraged and should conform to PRISMA reporting guidelines.

Case Report

Detailed description of individual cases with significant educational, legal, or clinical merit. Must follow CARE reporting guidelines. Patient written consent is mandatory.

Short Communication

Concise reports of preliminary findings, novel observations, or focused updates on a specific issue in medical law or health regulation. Structured as a brief original study.

Opinion / Commentary

Expert perspectives, policy analyses, or scholarly commentary on current issues. Invited commentary may be requested by the editorial board, but unsolicited submissions are welcome.

1. Title

Maximum 20 words. Informative, specific, no abbreviations. Avoid questions as titles.

2. Abstract

Structured: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusion. Max 250 words.

3. Keywords

5–8 keywords. MeSH terminology preferred. Listed alphabetically below abstract.

4. Introduction

Context, literature gap, rationale, and clear statement of study objective(s).

5. Methods

Study design, setting, participants, data collection, analysis, and ethical approval details.

6. Results

Findings presented objectively. All data referred to in text; no interpretation here.

7. Discussion

Interpretation, comparison with literature, implications, limitations, future directions.

8. Conclusion

Concise summary of main findings and their significance. Not a repetition of the abstract.

9. Acknowledgements

Funding, institutional support, individuals who do not meet authorship criteria.

10. References

Vancouver style, numbered sequentially in order of first citation in text.

Title Requirements

Abstract Structure

• Provide 5 to 8 keywords
• MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms are preferred — search at meshb.nlm.nih.gov
• Listed on a new line immediately below the abstract
• Separated by semicolons
• Written in title case
• Do not repeat words already in the title

Example

Keywords:

Medical Negligence; Health Law; Physician Liability; Informed Consent; Patient Rights; Indonesia

Language

Manuscript Formatting

Journal Article

Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):Page range.

Santoso B, Prasetyo D, Wijaya H. Medical malpractice litigation trends in Indonesian courts: a retrospective analysis. J Med Law Health Policy. 2023;5(2):112-125.

Book

Author AA. Title of book. Edition (if not first). City of publication: Publisher; Year.

Kusuma RA. Hukum Kesehatan Indonesia. 3rd ed. Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC; 2021.

Website

Organisation or Author. Title of page [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [cited YYYY Mon DD]. Available from: URL

Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia. Standar Kompetensi Dokter Indonesia [Internet]. Jakarta: Kemenkes RI; 2022 [cited 2024 Mar 10]. Available from: https://www.kemkes.go.id

Tables

• Numbered sequentially: Table 1, Table 2, etc.
• Title placed above the table
• Use only horizontal lines (no vertical borders)
• Each table cited in the manuscript text
• Abbreviations defined in footnotes below the table
• Do not duplicate data presented in the text
• Embedded in the manuscript document after the references

Figures

• Numbered sequentially: Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.
• Caption placed below the figure
• Minimum resolution: 300 dpi for photographs; 600 dpi for line art
• Acceptable formats: TIFF, PNG, JPEG, EPS
• Each figure cited in the manuscript text
• Submitted as separate high-resolution files in addition to being embedded in the manuscript
• No identifying patient information in clinical photographs

Ethics Approval (Human Studies)

All research involving human participants must have received approval from a recognised ethics committee (Komisi Etik Penelitian Kesehatan / KEPK or equivalent). The following must be stated in the Methods section:

• Name of the ethics committee
• KEPK approval number
• Date of approval
• Statement of informed consent obtained

Declaration of Helsinki

All human research must comply with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (2013 revision). Authors must include a statement such as: "This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by [ethics committee name], approval number [number]." Studies involving animals must also comply with applicable national and institutional guidelines.

AI Use Disclosure

Any use of artificial intelligence (AI) or large language model (LLM) tools during the preparation of a manuscript must be disclosed. Include a statement in the Acknowledgements section describing:

• Which tools were used (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly)
• The purpose for which they were used (e.g., language editing, literature search)
• Confirmation that all authors take full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the content

AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

Other Required Declarations

• Conflict of Interest: Disclose all financial or non-financial interests that could influence the work. If none, state "The authors declare no conflict of interest."
• Funding: Identify all funding sources and grant numbers. If none, state "This research received no external funding."
• Author Contributions: Describe each author's contribution using CRediT taxonomy (Conceptualisation, Methodology, Validation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Writing, etc.).
• Data Availability: State where data supporting the findings can be accessed, or explain if sharing is not possible.

Below 20%

Acceptable

Manuscript proceeds to editorial review without further action

20 – 30%

Revision Required

Author must revise and resubmit with a revised similarity report before editorial review continues

Above 30%

Rejected

Manuscript rejected outright. Authors may rewrite and resubmit as a new submission

Cover Letter

Title Page

Step 1 — Editorial Check

Submission checked for scope, formatting compliance, plagiarism, and completeness. Typically 1–5 business days.

Step 2 — Double-Blind Review

Manuscripts passing initial screening are sent to two independent peer reviewers. Identities of authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout. Target: 4–6 weeks.

Step 3 — Decision

Editor communicates one of: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject. Revision responses should be submitted within 30 days.

Step 4 — Production

Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting, typesetting, and author proofing before online publication. Authors must respond to proofs within 48 hours.

Files to Upload

• Cover letter (.doc or .docx)
• Title page with author details (.doc or .docx)
• Anonymised manuscript (.doc or .docx)
• Turnitin similarity report (.pdf)
• Ethics approval letter (.pdf, if applicable)
• Figures as separate high-resolution files
• Supplementary data files (if applicable)

Manuscript Verified

• No author names or affiliations in the manuscript file
• Word count confirmed within limits for article type
• References formatted in Vancouver style
• All in-text citations match the reference list
• Tables and figures numbered, captioned, and cited
• All required declarations present (ethics, AI, conflicts, funding)
• ORCID iDs provided for all authors on the title page