Data Sharing and Reproducibility Policy

Last Updated: 1/4/2024

Data Sharing and Reproducibility Policy

1. Policy Statement and Scope

The Advanced Journal of Biomedicine & Medicine (AJBM) is committed to transparency, reproducibility, and open science. To strengthen the reliability of biomedical research, AJBM requires authors to share research data, methods, and materials whenever possible, in line with COPE guidelines, ICMJE standards, and global best practices.

This policy applies to all published content, including original research articles, clinical trials, case reports, and systematic reviews.

2. Data Availability Requirements

2.1 Mandatory Requirements

  • Every research article must include a Data Availability Statement.

  • Clinical trial data must comply with ICMJE requirements and be registered in an approved trial registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov).

  • Genomic, proteomic, and large-scale datasets must be deposited in appropriate public repositories.

  • Source data supporting figures, tables, and statistical analyses must be made available where possible.

2.2 Data Types Covered

  • Raw data and processed data.

  • Analytical code and algorithms.

  • Protocols, methodologies, and workflows.

  • Research materials and related metadata.

3. Data Availability Statements

Authors must clearly state:

  • Repository name and DOI/accession number.

  • Conditions of access (open, embargoed, or controlled).

  • Any restrictions and their justification.

  • Contact information for data requests if data cannot be openly shared.

Examples:

  • “All data supporting the findings are available in [Repository Name] at [DOI].”

  • “Data are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author due to patient confidentiality.”

  • “Some data are subject to restrictions under [reason]; details provided in supplementary material.”

4. Acceptable Data Repositories

4.1 General-purpose repositories

  • Dryad, Figshare, Zenodo, Open Science Framework (OSF).

4.2 Discipline-specific repositories

  • GenBank (nucleotide sequences).

  • Protein Data Bank (PDB) (protein structures).

  • Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (gene expression data).

  • ClinicalTrials.gov or WHO ICTRP (clinical trial registration).

AJBM strongly encourages deposition in repositories that assign persistent identifiers (DOIs) and support long-term preservation.

5. Data Format and Documentation

  • Data must be provided in standard, non-proprietary formats (e.g., CSV, XML, JSON, TIFF, PDF/A).

  • Clear documentation of variables, codes, and collection methods is required.

  • Metadata should comply with recognized standards (e.g., Dublin Core, JATS XML, or domain-specific metadata).

  • Authors must describe any software or tools necessary to use the data.

6. Exceptions and Special Circumstances

Data may be restricted if sharing compromises:

  • Patient privacy or confidentiality.

  • Commercially sensitive or proprietary information.

  • National security concerns.

  • Ethical or legal constraints.

Where restrictions apply, authors must:

  • Justify the restriction in the Data Availability Statement.

  • Provide anonymized datasets or controlled-access arrangements when possible.

7. Timeline for Data Sharing

  • Data must be accessible upon publication of the article.

  • Embargoes are only permitted in exceptional cases, for a maximum of 12 months, and must be justified in the Data Availability Statement.

  • Long-term preservation in trusted repositories is required.

8. Data Citation and Credit

  • All datasets must be cited in the reference list, with DOI or accession number included.

  • Proper credit must be given to the creators of reused datasets.

  • Data citations count as legitimate scholarly contributions, and AJBM encourages recognition of dataset impact.

9. Compliance and Verification

  • Authors must confirm compliance during manuscript submission.

  • Editorial staff will verify repository links and accessibility.

  • Peer reviewers may assess the completeness and quality of shared data.

  • Final publication requires data-sharing compliance unless exemptions are approved.

10. Support and Resources

To assist authors, AJBM provides:

  • Guidelines for preparing data and metadata.

  • Repository selection assistance.

  • Templates for Data Availability Statements.

  • Links to best-practice standards in data management.

11. Policy Implementation and Review

  • This policy applies to all new submissions from [effective date].

  • Revised manuscripts submitted after this date must also comply.

  • AJBM will review and update this policy annually to ensure alignment with evolving COPE, ICMJE, and community standards.

  • Previous versions of this policy will be archived on the journal website for transparency.