Advertising Policy

Georgian Medical Journal · Publication Policy

Advertising Policy

Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) · ICMJE · COPE Core Practices · WAME · CC BY 4.0 · editor@gmj.ge

The Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ) maintains a strict separation between advertising, sponsorship, and editorial content. This policy ensures that commercial considerations never influence editorial decisions and that readers can clearly distinguish advertising from peer-reviewed scholarly content. GMJ adheres to the ICMJE Recommendations, COPE Core Practices, the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) Policy Statement on Advertising, and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing endorsed by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, and WAME.

1. Fundamental Principle

Advertising, promotional material, sponsorship, and any other form of commercial revenue have no influence on editorial decisions at GMJ. The acceptance, rejection, scheduling, or content of any manuscript is determined solely on the basis of scientific merit, relevance, originality, and adherence to ethical standards. No advertiser, sponsor, or commercial entity has any role in the peer-review process, editorial decision-making, or the selection or timing of published content.

2. Current Advertising Status

GMJ does not currently carry advertising. As a fully open-access journal published by a non-profit institution (the Public Health Institute of Georgia), GMJ does not derive revenue from advertising. Should GMJ accept advertising in the future, all provisions of this policy will apply in full.

3. Separation of Advertising and Editorial Content

If advertising is accepted in the future, the following principles will apply without exception:

— All advertising must be clearly and unambiguously identified as such and must be visually distinguishable from editorial content at all times
— Advertising will never be placed adjacent to editorial content in a manner that implies endorsement by the journal, its editors, or the publisher
— Advertisements will not be interspersed with or embedded within peer-reviewed articles
— The Editor-in-Chief has full and final authority to refuse any advertisement that is misleading, inaccurate, or incompatible with the journal's mission and values
— Advertisers will have no advance knowledge of editorial content or publication schedules, and no advertisement will be accepted on the condition that it appear alongside specific editorial material

The sale or placement of advertising is managed entirely independently of the editorial function. Editorial staff are not involved in advertising sales, and advertising staff have no access to manuscripts, editorial correspondence, or peer-review records.

4. Types of Advertising Not Accepted

GMJ will not accept advertising that:

— Is false, misleading, deceptive, or unsubstantiated
— Promotes products or services not approved by the relevant national or international regulatory authority for the indications described
— Contains claims that are inconsistent with the approved labelling of a product
— Could reasonably be expected to be harmful to patient health or public health
— Promotes tobacco products, e-cigarettes, or recreational drugs
— Is for products or services that conflict with the journal's ethical principles or mission
— Could undermine public trust in the scientific or medical publishing process
— Is designed or formatted in a way that could be confused with editorial or peer-reviewed content (i.e., "advertorials" or "native advertising" that mimics editorial content are prohibited)

5. Sponsored Supplements and Special Issues

If GMJ publishes sponsored supplements or special issues in the future, the following safeguards will apply:

— All sponsored supplements will be clearly labelled as sponsored, with the name of the sponsor prominently displayed
— Sponsored content will undergo the same peer-review process and adhere to the same editorial, ethical, and disclosure standards as regular journal content
— The sponsor will have no role in selecting reviewers, making editorial decisions, or determining the scientific conclusions
— Guest editors of sponsored supplements must disclose all relevant conflicts of interest
— The Editor-in-Chief retains full authority to reject any sponsored content that does not meet the journal's quality and ethical standards

GMJ does not currently publish sponsored supplements.

6. Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Advertising

If GMJ were to accept pharmaceutical or medical device advertising, the following additional requirements would apply:

— All pharmaceutical and medical device advertisements must comply with the laws and regulations of the jurisdiction(s) in which the advertisement is distributed, including the applicable regulatory requirements for promotional material
— Advertisements must be consistent with the approved prescribing information, summary of product characteristics, or equivalent regulatory documentation
— Claims made in advertisements must be supported by adequate evidence and must not exaggerate efficacy or minimise risk
— The Editor-in-Chief reserves the right to require modification or withdrawal of any pharmaceutical or medical device advertisement

7. Digital and Online Advertising

All provisions of this policy apply equally to advertising displayed on the GMJ website (gmj.ge), in email communications, on social media channels, and in any other digital medium operated by GMJ. In addition:

— Pop-up, pop-under, and interstitial advertisements that obstruct access to editorial content are prohibited
— Automated behavioural or programmatic advertising that targets users based on their reading behaviour on the journal's website will not be used
— Any third-party advertising network used must comply with this policy and with applicable data-protection regulations (e.g., GDPR)
— Advertisements must not collect personal data from users without explicit consent

8. Complaints About Advertising

Any concerns about advertising content on GMJ — including its accuracy, appropriateness, or potential to mislead readers — should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at editor@gmj.ge. All complaints will be investigated promptly, and the journal will take corrective action, including removal of the advertisement, if warranted.

9. Reference Standards

 

— ICMJE Recommendations — Advertising in Medical Journals and the Relationship Between Journal Editors and Advertisers (icmje.org)
— COPE / DOAJ / OASPA / WAME — Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (cope.org)
— WAME — Advertising Policy (wame.org)
— EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — Regulation 2016/679

This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as needed to reflect changes in best practice and regulatory requirements.

 

Editorial Office — Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ) · Published by the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) · editor@gmj.ge · gmj.ge