Refund Policy

The Refund Policy of the Journal of Hematology and Clinical Research (JHCR) explains the circumstances under which refund requests may be considered, timelines for eligibility, exclusions, and connections to the Withdrawal Policy and Article Processing Charges section.

JHCR operates under a Gold Open Access model. Article Processing Charges (APCs) cover costs such as editorial handling, plagiarism checks, peer review coordination, DOI registration, XML formatting, long-term archiving, and online hosting. As these services are largely rendered before publication, refunds are limited and carefully governed.

Eligibility for Refunds

Refunds apply only under exceptional conditions and are processed solely at the discretion of the publisher, following confirmation by the editorial administration team and finance department. The policy reflects published norms on the legacy JHCR Refund page.

Refund Request Process

1. Authors must email [email protected] with details: manuscript ID, title, transaction reference, and reason for refund.
2. The finance office verifies payment records against the editorial workflow.
3. Requests are reviewed jointly by the Managing Editor and Finance Department.
4. If approved, refunds are processed via the original payment channel within 30 business days.

Non-Refundable Circumstances

The following cases are not eligible for refund, as most costs have already been incurred or the decision was independent of service failure:

• Rejection after peer review or acceptance decision.
• Withdrawal after proof or publication.
• Disagreement with editorial or reviewer comments.
• Delays due to incomplete author response or missing revisions.
• Non-compliance with formatting or plagiarism correction requirements.
• Technical incompatibility caused by authors (e.g., corrupted files, unresponsive communications).

Partial Refunds and Pro-Rate Adjustments

Partial refunds may apply when withdrawal occurs during mid-stage processing or when partial editorial work has been completed. These are pro-rated according to time and service use:

• Manuscript screening and plagiarism check: 25% of APC retained.
• Peer review coordination and reviewer honoraria: 50% retained.
• Proofing, typesetting, and DOI registration completed: 75–100% retained.

Currency and Transaction Notes

• All payments and refunds are processed in USD (United States Dollars).
• Authors are responsible for any bank conversion fees or transaction charges applied by their payment providers.
• Refunds are not issued in alternative currencies or payment methods.

Timelines and Communication

Refunds, once approved, are typically processed within 30 working days. If delays occur, the editorial office communicates status updates to the corresponding author.

Transaction records and acknowledgment receipts are maintained for audit and compliance purposes under GDPR and CAN-SPAM aligned practices.

Ethical and Operational Safeguards

Refund requests are reviewed with strict attention to fairness and integrity. Misuse, false declarations, or fraudulent refund claims may be escalated to institutional authorities or result in suspension of future submissions.

Refund eligibility is determined independent of research outcome or editorial judgment. The editorial team’s role ends at publication; financial processing is managed by the publisher’s accounting division with documented oversight.

Linked and Supporting Policies

• Withdrawal Policy – for stage-based withdrawal fees.
• Waiver Policy – for fee waivers due to financial hardship.
• Article Processing Charges – details of the APC structure and its application.
• Publication Ethics Statement – ensures fair, transparent financial practices.

FAQs

Can I receive a refund if my article is rejected after payment?

Typically, no. Peer review coordination, plagiarism checking, and administrative processes are already completed by that stage.

What if I paid twice accidentally?

A 100% refund will be issued for the duplicate transaction once verified through the invoice and payment record.

Is refund linked to APC waiver eligibility?

No. Waiver consideration and refund assessment are separate processes handled by different departments.

How will I be informed once refund is processed?

You’ll receive a confirmation email with transaction reference and timeline details.

Can the refund be issued to another person or institution?

No. Refunds are credited only to the original payer and payment method for audit consistency.

Illustrative Examples

Contact

Finance Department – Journal of Hematology and Clinical Research (JHCR)
Heighten Science Publications Inc.
Website: https://www.hematologyresjournal.com/
Email: [email protected]