Publication Ethics
Publication Ethics
Jurnal Dharmaputra Hukum Kesehatan (JDHK) is committed to the highest standards of publication ethics. All parties — authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher — are expected to uphold these principles throughout every stage of the publication process.
Regulatory & Ethical Basis
JDHK's publication ethics framework is grounded in the following international guidelines, national regulations, and professional standards. All authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to be familiar with the applicable standards.
1. Authorship & Contributorship
JDHK follows the ICMJE criteria for authorship. All individuals listed as authors must meet all four criteria. Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet all four criteria should be listed in the Acknowledgements section as contributors.
Substantial Contribution
Substantial contributions to conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data
Drafting or Critical Revision
Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content
Final Approval
Approval of the final version of the manuscript to be published
Accountability
Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work and to resolve questions of accuracy or integrity
Ghost Authorship (Prohibited)
Excluding individuals who made substantial intellectual contributions to the work from the author list. This includes pharmaceutical company employees, medical writers, or statisticians who meet ICMJE criteria.
Gift Authorship (Prohibited)
Including individuals as authors who did not meet all four ICMJE criteria — e.g., senior colleagues listed merely for prestige, or department heads who did not contribute to the work.
AI as Author (Prohibited)
AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot) cannot be listed as authors. They cannot meet ICMJE criterion IV (accountability). Use of AI tools must be disclosed in the Methods or Acknowledgements section.
2. Research Ethics & Human Subjects Protection
All research involving human participants — including patients, healthy volunteers, and retrospective data — must have been conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (WMA, 2013) and must have received approval from a duly constituted Research Ethics Committee (Komite Etik Penelitian Kesehatan / KEPK) before data collection commenced. The ethical approval number and issuing committee must be stated in the Methods section.
Ethical Approval Requirements
Written ethics approval from KEPK or equivalent IRB; Approval number stated in manuscript Methods section; Name of approving committee stated; Date of approval; Confirmation that research was conducted in accordance with Declaration of Helsinki; Clinical trial registration number (if applicable, per ICMJE)
Informed Consent
Written informed consent must be obtained from all human subjects or their legal representatives; For case reports or identifiable clinical images: specific consent for publication must be documented; When consent was waived by the ethics committee, this must be stated and justified; Patient anonymity must be protected where identifiability is not essential to the study
Indonesian Legal Context: Under UU No. 17/2023 tentang Kesehatan (Pasal 340–342) and Permenkes No. 11/2017 tentang Keselamatan Pasien, researchers have a legal obligation to protect patient rights, safety, and privacy. Failure to obtain KEPK approval may constitute a violation of Indonesian health law, exposing authors to administrative and legal liability.
3. Data Integrity & Research Misconduct
JDHK has zero tolerance for research misconduct. All submitted manuscripts are subject to editorial scrutiny for signs of data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation. Manuscripts found to contain research misconduct will be rejected prior to publication or retracted post-publication, and the matter will be referred to the authors' institution in accordance with COPE guidelines.
Data Availability: Authors are encouraged to make their raw data available in a public repository (e.g., OSF, Zenodo, Figshare) and to provide the repository link in the manuscript. Where data cannot be shared due to ethical, legal, or privacy constraints (e.g., patient data protected under UU PDP No. 27/2022), authors must state this clearly with justification.
4. Plagiarism Policy
JDHK screens all submitted manuscripts for plagiarism using Turnitin software. Authors are strongly encouraged to self-check their work before submission. The following thresholds apply to the overall similarity index; however, editorial judgement is also applied to evaluate the nature and source of any similarity detected.
< 20%
Acceptable
Manuscript proceeds to peer review without further plagiarism-related action
20–30%
Requires Revision
Author must revise to reduce similarity before manuscript proceeds further in the editorial process
> 30%
Rejected
Manuscript is rejected immediately and the authors are notified with the Turnitin report
Self-Plagiarism / Text Recycling: Reproducing significant passages from the authors' own previously published work without citation and disclosure is considered text recycling and is subject to the same thresholds. Secondary publication of previously published material is only permissible with written consent from the original publisher and explicit disclosure in the manuscript.
5. Conflict of Interest
All authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence, or appear to influence, the conduct or reporting of the research. Disclosure does not necessarily disqualify a manuscript from consideration; however, failure to disclose a known conflict of interest constitutes a breach of publication ethics. JDHK follows the ICMJE Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form framework.
Authors must include a Conflict of Interest statement at the end of the manuscript. If no conflicts exist, authors must state: "The authors declare no conflicts of interest." All funding sources must be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section, including the role of the funder (if any) in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or decision to publish.
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Research & Publishing
JDHK adopts the position of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Position Statements on AI (2023) regarding the use of AI and large language models (LLMs) in the preparation and review of manuscripts. As AI tools become increasingly prevalent in academic writing, JDHK requires transparent disclosure of all AI use in accordance with emerging international standards, including the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI (2021).
Prohibited Uses of AI
Listing AI tools as authors or co-authors; Using AI to fabricate, invent, or falsify data, citations, or findings; Using AI to generate literature reviews without verification; Submitting entirely AI-written manuscripts without significant human intellectual input; Using AI tools that process patient data without data protection compliance (UU PDP No. 27/2022)
Permitted Uses of AI (with Disclosure)
Grammar checking and language polishing of author-written text; Translation assistance (author must verify accuracy); Literature search and reference management assistance; Statistical software with AI components for data analysis (must be disclosed in Methods); Plagiarism detection and similarity screening
Mandatory AI Disclosure Statement
Authors who used AI tools in preparing any part of the manuscript must include an AI Disclosure statement in the Methods section or Acknowledgements. The statement must specify: (1) which AI tool was used; (2) the version or date of use; (3) the specific purpose for which it was used; and (4) confirmation that the authors verified all AI-generated content for accuracy.
Example disclosure: "The authors used ChatGPT (OpenAI, GPT-4, accessed March 2025) to assist with language editing of the Discussion section. The content was subsequently reviewed and revised by the authors, who take full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the published work."
Legal Dimension (Health Law Context): In the context of health law research, AI-generated legal analysis carries particular risks. AI tools may produce inaccurate citations to legislation, case law, or regulatory instruments. Authors using AI for legal analysis must independently verify all cited legal provisions against official Indonesian government sources (e.g., JDIH, peraturan.go.id) and must not present AI-generated legal interpretations as authoritative without rigorous human expert review. Reliance on unverified AI-generated legal content may constitute professional misrepresentation under UU No. 18/2003 tentang Advokat and professional codes of conduct.
7. Health Law & Legal Research Ethics
Given JDHK's focus on health law, authors conducting legal research face specific ethical obligations beyond standard research ethics. Legal scholarship that touches on patient rights, medical disputes, healthcare regulation, or clinical negligence must adhere to the following principles.
Patient Anonymity in Case Law Analysis
When discussing real court cases or medical disputes involving identifiable individuals, patient information must be anonymised. Authors must not reproduce identifying details (name, address, registration number, or other personal data) without explicit consent, in compliance with UU PDP No. 27/2022 and UU No. 29/2004 tentang Praktik Kedokteran Pasal 47–48 (medical record confidentiality).
Accuracy of Legal Citations
All citations to Indonesian legislation, government regulations (Peraturan Pemerintah, Permenkes), judicial decisions, and official guidance must be verified against primary sources before submission. Authors must cite the correct version of legislation, noting any amendments. Citing superseded or incorrect provisions constitutes academic inaccuracy and may mislead readers, practitioners, or policymakers.
Advocacy vs. Scholarship
Legal scholarship must maintain analytical objectivity. Authors must clearly distinguish between legal analysis (what the law is), normative argument (what the law should be), and policy advocacy. Manuscripts that present a one-sided legal argument without engaging with counter-arguments or alternative interpretations do not meet JDHK's scholarly standards.
Dual-Use Research Concerns
Research that identifies systematic weaknesses in health regulation or patient safety law must be handled responsibly. Authors should consider whether publication could be misused (e.g., exploiting identified legal loopholes) and should consult the editor if in doubt. This aligns with the dual-use research of concern (DURC) framework adapted to the legal research context.
Key Applicable Indonesian Laws for Health Law Research: UU No. 36/2009 & UU No. 17/2023 tentang Kesehatan; UU No. 29/2004 tentang Praktik Kedokteran; UU No. 44/2009 tentang Rumah Sakit; UU No. 27/2022 tentang PDP; UU No. 8/1999 tentang Perlindungan Konsumen (in healthcare context); PP No. 47/2021 tentang Penyelenggaraan Bidang Perumahsakitan; Permenkes No. 290/2008 tentang Persetujuan Tindakan Kedokteran (informed consent).
8. Peer Review Ethics
The integrity of JDHK's double-blind peer review process depends on the honest and responsible conduct of all reviewers. Peer reviewers are bound by the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers and must not use information gained through the review process for personal or professional gain.
9. Editorial Ethics & Independence
JDHK editors are committed to making fair, independent, and impartial decisions on all manuscripts. Editorial decisions are based solely on the academic merit of the manuscript and its suitability for the journal, and are never influenced by the authors' identity, institutional affiliation, nationality, ethnicity, religion, or gender.
Editor Responsibilities
Treat all submitted manuscripts with confidentiality; Recuse themselves from manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists; Not use unpublished information for personal research; Ensure reviewer anonymity in the double-blind process; Apply consistent editorial standards across all submissions; Investigate all allegations of misconduct promptly and fairly per COPE flowcharts; Not allow commercial interests to influence editorial decisions
Publisher Responsibilities
RSUD Wangaya, as publisher of JDHK, guarantees full editorial independence. The publisher does not interfere with editorial decisions, does not require editors to accept manuscripts to meet commercial targets, and does not allow advertisers or institutional interests to influence the content of the journal. The publisher supports investigation of allegations of misconduct and funds the journal's operations without APC.
10. Corrections, Expressions of Concern & Retractions
JDHK follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines for handling post-publication issues. Any person may contact the Editorial Office to raise concerns about a published article. All notifications are treated confidentially and investigated promptly. JDHK will issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions as appropriate, and will not remove published articles from the website unless legally required to do so.
Correction (Erratum)
Published when a small, honest error (typographical, calculation, figure label) is identified that does not affect the conclusions. The original article is updated and the correction notice is linked bidirectionally.
Expression of Concern
Published when an investigation is ongoing and there are credible concerns about data integrity, authorship, or ethical conduct, but a final determination has not yet been reached.
Retraction
Published when the conclusions of a paper are no longer reliable due to major errors, misconduct, or ethical violations. The article remains online but is clearly marked "RETRACTED" with the date and reason for retraction.
11. Reporting Suspected Misconduct
JDHK encourages authors, reviewers, editors, and readers to report suspected publication misconduct. All reports are handled confidentially and investigated in accordance with the relevant COPE flowchart. Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation. Reports may be submitted to the Editorial Office at any time.
What to Report
Suspected data fabrication or falsification; Suspected plagiarism or duplicate submission; Authorship disputes; Undisclosed conflicts of interest; Ethical violations (missing KEPK approval, missing consent); Peer review manipulation; Coercive citation requests from editors or reviewers; Biased or fraudulent reviews
How to Report
Send an email to the Editorial Office at amerthamanuaba@gmail.com or udiana.krisna@gmail.com with the subject line: "Ethics Concern — [Article Title or Submission ID]". Include as much detail as possible, including the submission ID, the nature of the concern, and any supporting evidence. Anonymous reports are accepted but may limit the ability to investigate.
Further Resources: COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics): publicationethics.org — ICMJE Recommendations: icmje.org — KNEPK (Komisi Nasional Etik Penelitian Kesehatan): knepk.kemkes.go.id