Privacy Statement
Trends in Optimal Medical Outcomes (TOMO) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals who submit manuscripts, participate in the peer review process, or access our journal. This privacy statement outlines how we collect, use, and protect personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws and ethical standards.
1. Information We Collect
We collect the following types of personal information:
- For Authors: When submitting a manuscript, authors are required to provide personal information such as their name, institutional affiliation, email address, and other relevant contact information. We also collect any additional information submitted as part of the manuscript, such as the manuscript content, research data, and references.
- For Reviewers: Reviewers are asked to provide their name, institutional affiliation, email address, and professional expertise. Reviewers may also provide feedback on manuscripts and reviewer reports.
- For Subscribers: If you subscribe to our journal or newsletter, we may collect your contact details (e.g., email address) for the purpose of sending you updates about new publications or journal-related news.
2. How We Use Your Information
Trends in Optimal Medical Outcomes (TOMO) uses personal information primarily for the following purposes:
- For Authors: To manage the submission, review, and publication of manuscripts. This includes sending communication related to submission status, peer review feedback, acceptance or rejection decisions, and publication updates.
- For Reviewers: To facilitate the peer review process, including assigning manuscripts for review, sending reviewer feedback to authors, and notifying reviewers of publication decisions.
- For Subscribers: To send updates, newsletters, and other communications related to the journal, based on the preferences indicated by the subscriber.
3. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Statement, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Once personal information is no longer needed, we take appropriate measures to securely delete or anonymize it.
4. Confidentiality and Security
Trends in Optimal Medical Outcomes (TOMO) takes the confidentiality and security of your personal information seriously. We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse.
- For Authors and Reviewers: Manuscripts and reviewer feedback are handled with strict confidentiality. Manuscripts are shared only with relevant editorial staff, reviewers, and authors involved in the peer review process. Reviewers’ identities are kept confidential unless otherwise agreed.
- For Subscribers: We use secure platforms for email communication and do not share subscriber information with third parties without explicit consent.
5. Disclosure of Personal Information
We do not share personal information with third parties except for the following purposes:
- With Reviewers: For the purpose of the peer review process, authors’ manuscripts and relevant information are shared with selected reviewers. Reviewers are expected to handle the information with confidentiality.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law, such as in response to legal processes or regulatory requests.
- Third-Party Service Providers: In some cases, we may use third-party vendors to manage specific services such as hosting the journal website or handling payments for article processing charges. These providers are obligated to protect the personal information they handle and use it only for the purposes for which it was provided.
6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website may use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve user experience and analyze website traffic. These technologies may collect information such as your IP address, browsing behavior, and device information. You can choose to disable cookies through your browser settings, but this may affect your ability to access certain features of the journal website.
7. Your Rights
Under applicable data protection laws, you have certain rights regarding your personal information. These may include:
- Access: The right to request access to your personal data that we hold.
- Correction: The right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
- Deletion: The right to request the deletion of your personal data, subject to legal requirements.
- Objection: The right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances, such as for marketing purposes.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact details below.
8. Changes to This Privacy Statement
We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Statement at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page, and the date of the most recent update will be indicated at the top of the page. We encourage you to review this Privacy Statement periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal information.