Author Guidelines

 1.Editorial Policy

Acta Medica Iranica  is a peer-reviewed journal which has been published continuously since 1956 and is recognized as the first English-language medical journal in Iran; it was issued on a monthly basis from 2011 to 2023 and has been published bimonthly since 2024 .The journal publishes original contributions in all fields of basic and clinical medical sciences. Article types accepted include Original Research, Review Articles, Symposia, Short Communications, Case Reports, and Letters to the Editor. Case reports are accepted only if of unique or exceptional value. Authors considering review articles are strongly encouraged to consult the Editor prior to submission.

The journal prioritizes manuscripts that demonstrate methodological rigor, scientific originality, ethical integrity, and relevance to clinical or translational medicine.

Submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under simultaneous consideration by other journals (with the exception of abstracts or brief summaries). All authors must sign a statement affirming originality, approval, and accuracy of content. Authors bear full responsibility for all statements.

All manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review process. At least two independent reviewers are selected based on subject expertise. Editorial decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief. Authors may appeal decisions by submitting a reasoned request. Appeals are evaluated independently of the original reviewers, and the Editor-in-Chief’s decision on appeals is final.

  1. Publication Ethics & Research Integrity

An ethics statement is mandatory for all submitted manuscripts, even if formal ethics approval is not required.

2.1 Publication Ethics & COPE Compliance

Acta Medica Iranica adheres to the principles of publication ethics and best practices as defined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All cases of suspected misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, and unethical research practices, will be investigated and handled in accordance with COPE guidelines.

2.2 Human and Animal Research Ethics

Research involving human participants must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and receive approval from an appropriate institutional ethics committee. The ethics approval code must be clearly stated in the manuscript.
Animal studies must be conducted in accordance with internationally accepted ethical standards and approved by relevant ethics committees.

2.3 Informed Consent & Patient Privacy

Informed consent must be obtained from all human participants. For case reports and studies including identifiable human images or personal data, written informed consent for publication is mandatory. Authors must ensure the protection of patient privacy and confidentiality.

2.4 Clinical Trial Registration

Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov or WHO ICTRP) prior to participant enrollment. The registration number must be provided in the manuscript.

2.5 Data Availability

Authors must include a Data Availability Statement specifying where the data supporting the findings of the study can be accessed or clearly stating the reasons for any data restrictions, if applicable. Data Availability Statements are published as part of the final article to promote transparency and reproducibility.

 2.6 Conflicts of Interest

All authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of the results. If no conflicts exist, this must be explicitly stated.

2.7 Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The journal follows COPE recommendations for issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

2.8 Use of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI)–assisted tools (e.g., large language models, grammar or language-editing software) may be used in a limited and responsible manner to support manuscript preparation, such as improving language clarity, grammar, or formatting.

AI tools must not be listed as authors, as they do not meet authorship criteria and cannot take responsibility for the accuracy, originality, or integrity of the work.

Authors must ensure that:

  • All scientific content, interpretations, conclusions, and clinical or research judgments are generated, verified, and approved by the human authors.
  • AI tools are not used to fabricate, falsify, or manipulate data, results, images, or references.
  • AI-generated or AI-modified images, figures, or graphical abstracts are not permitted.
  • Confidential, proprietary, or patient-identifiable information is not entered into AI systems.

Any use of AI-assisted tools must be transparently disclosed in the manuscript, specifying the name of the tool, the purpose of use, and confirmation that the authors reviewed and take full responsibility for the final content. Disclosure should appear in the Acknowledgments section or in a dedicated AI Disclosure statement.

Failure to disclose the use of AI-assisted tools may result in editorial action, including request for correction, rejection, or retraction, depending on the nature and extent of the undisclosed use, in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Use of AI tools does not reduce the authors’ responsibility for compliance with ethical standards, authorship criteria, or publication integrity. The journal follows guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and international indexing bodies regarding responsible use of AI in scholarly publishing.

  1. Submission Process

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically via the online submission system. Each author must provide full name, affiliation, ORCID ID, and email. The corresponding author must provide complete contact information. At least one author should hold an academic affiliation. An anonymized manuscript file must be submitted for peer review.

  1. Manuscript Format & Style

Use a standard 12‑point font (e.g., Times New Roman), double spacing, and wide margins. Ensure consistency in numerals, hyphenation, and capitalization. Latin terms (e.g., in vivo, in vitro) should be italicized. Avoid ambiguous use of characters such as 'l' and '1' or 'O' and '0'.

Minimize abbreviations. Terms must be written in full at first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.

  1. Article Types & Limits

Original Research Articles

Original Research manuscripts should not exceed 5,000 words. The number of references is limited to 80, and a maximum of 10 tables and/or figures is allowed. The abstract must be structured and no longer than 300 words. The manuscript should be organized into the following sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgments, Conflict of Interest, and Funding.

 Review Articles

Review Articles should not exceed 6,000 words. Up to 150 references are permitted, along with a maximum of 12 tables and/or figures. The abstract must be structured and limited to 300 words. The manuscript should include the following sections: Introduction, Evidence Acquisition, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgments, Conflict of Interest, and Funding.

 Case Reports

Case Reports should not exceed 1,500 words. A maximum of 20 references and up to 3 tables and/or figures are allowed. The abstract should be unstructured and limited to 200 words. The manuscript structure should include: Introduction, Case Report, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgments, Conflict of Interest, and Funding.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor should not exceed 1,500 words. Up to 10 references and a maximum of 2 tables and/or figures are allowed. No abstract is required. The submission should consist of the main text only, along with up to three keywords.

  1. Content Guidelines

Methods / Materials

Clearly describe subject characteristics and methods with sufficient detail for replication. For randomized trials, follow CONSORT guidelines. For systematic reviews, follow PRISMA guidelines.

Results

Present findings logically with appropriate use of text, tables, and figures. Report quantitative measures with confidence intervals. Avoid redundancy.

Discussion

Interpret findings in the context of prior literature, emphasize novelty, and acknowledge limitations.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledge individuals, institutions, or funding bodies that contributed to the work. Include grant or approval numbers where relevant.

Conflicts of Interest & Funding

Declare all financial and non‑financial conflicts of interest. Provide details of all funding sources.

References

Use Vancouver style. References should be numbered consecutively in the text. List all authors if six or fewer; if more, list the first six followed by 'et al.'

  1. Journal Article

Format:
Author(s). Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year; Volume(Issue): Page numbers.

Example:

  • Smith JA, Brown T, Nguyen H. Effects of high-protein diets on renal function: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;113(5):1234-42.

 Book Chapter

Format:
Author(s) of the chapter. Title of chapter. In: Editor(s), editor(s). Title of book. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher; Year. p. Page numbers.

Example:

  • Phillips SJ, Whisnant JP. Hypertension and stroke. In: Laragh JH, Brenner BM, editors. Hypertension: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management. 2nd ed. New York: Raven Press; 1995. p. 465-78.
  1. Website

Format:
Author(s) (if available). Title of webpage/document. Name of website. Year [cited YYYY Mon DD]. Available from: URL

Example:

  1. Tables & Figures

Tables must be on separate pages, numbered consecutively, and fully self-explanatory. Figures must be high-resolution, clearly labeled, and accompanied by descriptive legends. Human images require consent. Generative AI–created images are not permitted.

  1. Reporting Guidelines & Checklists

Authors must comply with international reporting standards. CONSORT (for randomized trials): https://www.consort-statement.org
PRISMA (for systematic reviews): https://www.prisma-statement.org