Refund Policy

The Pakistan Journal of Healthcare Research (PJHR) strives to provide high-quality services to authors, readers, and institutions. This Refund Policy outlines the conditions under which refunds may be issued for services associated with the journal, including submission fees, publication fees, and other associated charges.

1. Submission Fees

• Non-refundable: Submission fees are required when submitting a manuscript to PJHR for review and consideration. These fees are non-refundable under any circumstances once the manuscript is submitted for peer review.
• Reason for Non-refundability: The submission fee helps cover the administrative costs of processing the manuscript, including editorial handling, peer review, and initial assessments.

2. Publication Fees

• Non-refundable: Once a manuscript is accepted for publication, the associated publication fees are non-refundable. These fees are used to cover the costs of editing, formatting, publishing, and archiving the article.
• Exception for Withdrawal Before Publication: If a manuscript is accepted and the author requests withdrawal before the article is published online (after final acceptance but before it is published), the author may be eligible for a partial refund of the publication fee, minus any administrative costs already incurred. These decisions are at the discretion of the editorial board.

3. Refunds Due to Manuscript Withdrawal

• Pre-acceptance: If a manuscript is withdrawn by the author prior to acceptance, no refund will be issued for any fees paid, including submission fees or publication fees.
• Post-acceptance: If an article is withdrawn after acceptance and before it is published, no refund will be issued for publication fees. However, if a withdrawal request is made before the final stages of publication (i.e., before the article is finalized for online publication), the editorial board may consider a partial refund depending on the work completed.

4. Refunds for Errors or Journal Responsibility

• Journal Error: If a publication fee has been paid and an article is found to have been published with significant errors caused by the journal’s editorial team (such as formatting errors, incorrect citations, or other mistakes), the journal will review the issue. If the error is substantial and cannot be rectified through correction or re-publication, a partial refund may be issued at the discretion of the editorial team.

5. Refund Process

• Refund Request: Any request for a refund must be submitted in writing by the corresponding author to the journal’s editorial office. The request should include the transaction details, reason for the refund, and supporting documentation where applicable.
• Processing Time: Refund requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and processed within 4 to 6 weeks from the date of the request. The decision will be communicated to the corresponding author, and any eligible refund will be issued via the original payment method.

6. Refund Eligibility Criteria

• Refunds may only be issued under the circumstances outlined in this policy. Any requests outside of these conditions (such as dissatisfaction with peer review decisions or editorial decisions) are not eligible for a refund.

7. Refunds for Institutional or Bulk Orders

• For institutional subscriptions or bulk print orders, refunds may be considered in cases of overpayment, failure to deliver on time, or other administrative issues. Any such requests must be made directly to the journal’s subscription team, and the refund will be processed based on the nature of the issue.

8. Policy Review

• This refund policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure that it remains fair, transparent, and aligned with industry best practices. Any updates to the policy will be communicated to all stakeholders, including authors, readers, and institutions.

By adhering to this Refund Policy, the Pakistan Journal of Healthcare Research ensures fairness in handling requests and maintains the integrity of its publishing operations while supporting the research community.