Complaints & Appeals Policy

Global Virology Reports (GVR) is committed to fair, consistent, and transparent editorial processes. We recognize that authors may sometimes wish to formally question an editorial decision or raise a concern. This policy outlines the formal procedures for submitting complaints and appealing editorial decisions.

Scope
This policy covers:

·       Formal Appeals of editorial decisions, particularly rejections.

·       Complaints regarding the conduct of editors, reviewers, or the journal's staff.

·       Objections to the handling of a manuscript.

Appeal Procedure
Authors may appeal a rejection by submitting a formal request to the Editorial Office.

·       Eligibility: Appeals must be based on substantive grounds, such as a factual error in the review process or a belief that reviewer comments were fundamentally misunderstood. Disagreement with the decision, without specific justification, is not sufficient grounds for an appeal.

·       Formal Request: The appeal must be submitted by the corresponding author in writing within 30 days of the decision date. The request must include:

1.     The manuscript ID and title.

2.     A detailed, point-by-point response to the reviewers' and/or editor's comments, providing a scientific justification for the appeal.

3.     A clear explanation of why the decision should be reconsidered.

·       Review Process: The appeal will be assigned to an independent Senior Editor or Editorial Board member who was not involved in the original decision. This editor will review the manuscript, the original reviewer reports, and the author's appeal letter.

·       Outcome: The outcome of an appeal may be:

-   Reversal of the original decision and an invitation to revise.

-   Confirmation of the original rejection.

-   A request for further peer review.
The decision of the independent editor is final.

Complaint Procedure
Complaints about editorial conduct, process integrity, or ethical concerns should be submitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief.

·       The complaint should clearly state the nature of the concern and provide any supporting evidence.

·       The Editor-in-Chief will investigate the matter thoroughly and confidentially, which may involve consulting with relevant parties and/or the publisher.

·       A formal response will be provided within a reasonable timeframe.

Escalation
If an author remains dissatisfied after the internal appeal process, the concern may be escalated to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for guidance, as GVR adheres to its principles.