Accountability at BCPHR

BCPHR is committed to fair and transparent editorial processes. Authors, reviewers, and readers may raise complaints about the editorial process or appeal a rejection decision. All complaints are reviewed by editorial team members not involved in the original decision. This page describes how to file a complaint, what the appeal process looks like, and what outcomes are possible.

Complaints vs Appeals

Filing a Complaint

Complaints about BCPHR editorial processes or staff conduct may be sent to the editorial team via email. BCPHR aims to acknowledge complaints within two weeks of receipt and to resolve them within four weeks. Complaints involving senior editors or the publisher are escalated to a member of the BCPH Board of Directors. Complaints about peer reviewer or author misconduct may be referred to the BCPHR Advisory Board through the Allegations of Misconduct process.

Filing an Appeal

Appeals of editorial decisions must meet three criteria to be considered:

How Appeals Are Reviewed

What Happens Next

Appeal outcomes are communicated to the author within four weeks of submission. If the appeal is successful, the manuscript re-enters the editorial workflow at the appropriate stage. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the original decision stands and the appeal process is complete. Authors may not file successive appeals on the same manuscript.