Refund Policy

The Journal of Community Medicine and Health Sciences (JCMHS) operates under a transparent and ethical Refund Policy to ensure fairness and accountability in all financial transactions related to article processing charges (APCs), publication services, and related fees. This policy defines conditions under which refund requests may be accepted or declined, in accordance with COPE, ICMJE, and global open-access publishing standards.

1. Purpose and Scope

This Refund Policy applies to all financial transactions made to the journal by authors, institutions, or sponsors, including:

• Article Processing Charges (APCs)
• Optional publication services (e.g., certificates, print copies)
• Pre-publication services and technical editing

The policy aims to balance fairness to authors with the financial sustainability of open-access publication processes.

2. Ethical and Legal Framework

JCMHS’s Refund Policy complies with international ethical and financial guidelines, including:

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) best practices
• ICMJE recommendations for publication transparency
• GDPR and data protection regulations for secure transaction processing
• Global refund and consumer fairness standards applicable to academic publishing

3. Refund Eligibility

Refunds may be considered under specific and verifiable conditions. Each case is evaluated individually by the Editorial and Finance Offices based on the circumstances, timing, and reasons provided.

3.1 Eligible Circumstances

• Duplicate Payment: If an author has made multiple payments for the same article, the extra payment will be refunded in full.
• Technical Error: If a transaction fails due to a processing or system error leading to double billing, the excess amount will be refunded.
• Article Withdrawal (Pre-Publication): If an article is withdrawn before peer review begins, a partial refund may be issued (as detailed in Section 6).
• Publisher Error: If publication is canceled due to an internal technical issue or editorial mistake.

3.2 Ineligible Circumstances

• After article acceptance and initiation of production.
• For published articles, regardless of post-publication outcomes.
• Due to author’s change of opinion, funding withdrawal, or project cancellation.
• For delay caused by incomplete author response or technical revision cycles.

4. Refund Classification and Decision Criteria

Refund decisions are made based on the processing stage at which the request is received. The table below provides the general policy framework:

5. Article Processing Charge (APC) Responsibility

Once a manuscript is accepted for publication, the corresponding author or funding institution must complete the APC payment to initiate final production. Refunds cannot be issued if services such as proofreading, DOI registration, or typesetting have already been completed.

6. Withdrawal and Refund Conditions

Authors may request withdrawal before publication. The refund amount depends on the manuscript’s processing stage and incurred administrative costs:

• Before Peer Review: Eligible for up to 80% refund.
• After Review Initiation: Refund reduced to 50% due to reviewer honoraria and editorial costs.
• After Acceptance: Up to 25% refund if justified by ethical or legal grounds.
• Post-Publication: No refund is possible once the article appears online.

7. Processing Timeline for Refunds

Upon approval, refunds are processed within 30 business days. Transactions are made via the original payment method or institutional transfer channels.

7.1 Required Documentation

• Formal refund request letter (signed by corresponding author)
• Proof of payment (invoice or transaction ID)
• Reason for refund request
• Bank details or payment reference for return

8. Publisher Error or Service Failure

If publication services fail due to a verified technical or administrative error by JCMHS or the publisher, the full APC will be refunded or adjusted against a future submission at the author’s discretion.

9. Refund in Case of Retraction or Removal

If an article is retracted or removed due to author misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication), no refund will be issued. If the retraction results from editorial or system error, a full refund or credit may be issued.

10. Refund for Optional Services

Refunds for optional services such as certificates, print copies, or expedited review will be considered only if the service has not been initiated at the time of request.

11. Appeals and Dispute Resolution

Authors who disagree with refund decisions may appeal within 15 business days of receiving the decision notice. Appeals must include:

• Detailed justification for reconsideration.
• Supporting documentation and payment proofs.
• Communication records related to the issue.

The appeal will be reviewed by the Financial Ethics Committee, and its decision will be final.

12. Refund Communication

All refund communications must be directed to the Finance Department via email:

• Email: [email protected]
• Subject: “Refund Request – [Manuscript ID]”
• Processing Time: 5–7 business days for acknowledgment

13. Refund Tracking and Recordkeeping

All refund transactions are recorded in the OJS system and finance logs. Transaction records are retained for at least 5 years to ensure compliance with audit and transparency requirements.

14. Author Conduct and Ethical Misuse

Any misuse of the refund policy, such as false refund claims, withdrawal without justification, or unethical dual submissions, may lead to sanctions including submission bans, institutional reporting, or blacklisting within the journal’s database.

15. Exceptions and Editorial Discretion

In exceptional circumstances, the Editorial Office reserves the right to issue partial or full refunds based on ethical and humanitarian grounds (e.g., force majeure, institutional dissolution, or public-health emergencies).

16. Transparency and Accountability

All refund requests and outcomes are reviewed by both the Finance Department and the Managing Editor. The process ensures transparency and compliance with publication ethics, maintaining fairness to authors and integrity of the journal’s open-access operations.

17. Policy Review and Revision

This Refund Policy is reviewed annually by the Editorial Board and Publisher to ensure continued alignment with best practices in open-access publishing and financial ethics. Updates are published on the journal’s official website.

“Ethical transparency extends beyond publishing — it includes every transaction that supports the open sharing of science.”