Data Sharing and Reproducibility Policy

The Asian Journal of Medical and Biological Research (AJMBR) is committed to promoting research transparency, integrity, responsible data sharing, and reproducibility. The journal follows recognized publication-ethics principles, including relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Data sharing

AJMBR encourages authors to make the data supporting their research available whenever ethically, legally, and practically possible. Depending on the nature of the research, shared materials may include raw or processed datasets, anonymized participant data, experimental data, survey or questionnaire data, research protocols, statistical files, analytical files, computer code, software, research materials, figures, tables, and supplementary information. Data may be shared through recognized public or disciplinary repositories, institutional repositories, supplementary files, controlled-access repositories, or by the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Data availability statement

Authors should provide a clear Data Availability Statement indicating how the supporting data can be accessed. The statement should specify whether data are publicly available in a repository, included with the article or supplementary materials, available upon reasonable request, available through controlled access, or unavailable because of legitimate ethical, legal, privacy, confidentiality, contractual, security, or intellectual property restrictions. Where no research data were generated or analyzed, authors should state this clearly.

Reproducibility and research materials

Authors should provide sufficient information about research design, sampling, data collection, measurements, experimental or laboratory procedures, data processing, statistical analysis, software, and other relevant methods to enable qualified researchers to understand and, where reasonably possible, reproduce the research. Where appropriate and legally permissible, authors are encouraged to provide datasets, protocols, questionnaires, research instruments, statistical files, analytical code, computer scripts, software information, and other supporting materials.

Confidential and sensitive data

AJMBR recognizes that medical and biological research may involve personal, confidential, sensitive, or otherwise restricted information. Authors must protect participant privacy and comply with informed-consent requirements, research-ethics approvals, applicable data-protection laws, confidentiality obligations, and institutional requirements. Where public sharing is inappropriate, authors should use appropriate anonymization or de-identification, controlled-access repositories, secure data environments, data-use agreements, or other suitable safeguards. Restrictions on access should be clearly explained in the Data Availability Statement.

Data repositories, preservation, and citation

Authors are encouraged to deposit research data in reliable repositories that provide stable access, appropriate metadata, long-term preservation, and persistent identifiers such as DOIs. Where appropriate, discipline-specific repositories should be preferred. Datasets and other research resources that materially support an article should be properly cited and attributed. Authors should retain relevant underlying research data and supporting materials for an appropriate period consistent with institutional, funder, ethical, legal, and disciplinary requirements.

Reporting guidelines and study registration

Authors should follow recognized reporting guidelines appropriate to their study design and are encouraged to use relevant guidelines recommended by the EQUATOR Network. Depending on the research, this may include standards for randomized controlled trials, observational studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, diagnostic studies, case reports, qualitative research, animal research, and other relevant study types. Where applicable, clinical trials, systematic reviews, research protocols, and other studies should be registered in an appropriate public registry, with the registry name, registration number, and relevant link provided in the manuscript.

Data integrity and editorial verification

Authors must ensure that research data and supporting materials are accurate, reliable, and honestly reported. Fabrication, falsification, inappropriate manipulation, selective alteration of results, or misrepresentation of data or data availability is unacceptable. AJMBR may request underlying data, analytical files, protocols, or supporting documentation when reasonably necessary to verify findings, evaluate methodological concerns, or investigate suspected research-integrity issues. Authors are expected to cooperate with legitimate editorial requests, subject to valid confidentiality, privacy, ethical, and legal restrictions.

Supplementary materials and peer review

Authors may provide datasets, additional tables and figures, questionnaires, protocols, statistical outputs, code, scripts, analytical files, and other materials that support the article. Supplementary materials may be assessed by editors or peer reviewers where relevant to the evaluation of the manuscript. Unpublished data and materials provided during peer review must be treated as confidential and must not be disclosed, distributed, or used for unauthorized purposes.

Responsibilities, exceptions, and post-publication issues

Authors are responsible for providing accurate data-availability information, maintaining appropriate research data, obtaining necessary permissions, protecting participant confidentiality, and complying with applicable ethical, legal, institutional, and intellectual property requirements. Editors may assess data statements, request supporting information, seek expert advice, and investigate credible concerns. Users of shared data must respect applicable licenses, data-use conditions, privacy, confidentiality, intellectual property, and attribution requirements. Legitimate restrictions on data sharing will be considered. Where significant post-publication concerns arise, AJMBR may issue a correction, erratum, corrigendum, expression of concern, or retraction, as appropriate.

Policy compliance and review

Data availability and reproducibility may be considered during editorial assessment where relevant to the research. Authors must not falsely claim that data or materials are available when they are not. AJMBR will handle data-related concerns in accordance with its publication-ethics and research-integrity procedures. This policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to remain consistent with COPE guidance, recognized research-integrity principles, applicable ethical and legal requirements, and evolving standards for responsible data sharing and reproducible research.