Generative AI Usage Policy

Jurnal Farmasi Sains dan Komunitas or Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Community (J. Pharm. Sci. Community) recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is increasingly used across academic fields. AI tools offer capabilities for improving language quality, organizing data, and supporting analytical workflows. At the same time, AI use in scholarly publishing demands careful ethical consideration.

This policy establishes clear boundaries for the responsible use of AI in manuscript preparation and ensures that all submitted manuscripts comply with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) standards on publication integrity (https://publicationethics.org/) and are considered with reference to USD Rector’s Decree No. 167/Rektor/V/2025. The policy applies to all authors, reviewers, and editors involved with the journal. This policy is aligned with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.

 

Definition of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

For the purposes of this policy, AI Tools are defined as any software, application, or platform that uses AI-based technology to collect, process, generate, or transform information. This includes, but is not limited to:

Category

Examples

Generative AI (Text)

ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, DeepSeek, Llama

Generative AI (Image)

DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion

Generative AI (Other)

Text-to-text, text-to-image, text-to-audio, text-to-video, text-to-slide generators

Grammar & Spelling Checkers

Grammarly (standard), ProWritingAid, built-in Word/Google Docs AI

Advanced AI Writing Assistants

GrammarlyGO, Writesonic, Jasper, MS Copilot in Word

Machine Translation

Google Translate, DeepL, Bing Translator

Qualitative Coding Analysis Tools

ATLAS.ti (AI features), NVivo (AI features), Delve

Problem Solvers / AI Calculators

MathGPT, Wolfram Alpha (AI mode), AI-assisted SPSS

Note: Grammar and spelling checkers with AI capabilities (e.g., GrammarlyGO, AI-assisted paraphrase features) are treated equivalently to generative AI for the purposes of this policy. Their use may increase AI Writing Detection scores due to the underlying language model technology.

 

Core Principles of AI Use

All use of AI tools in manuscript preparation must adhere to the following four principles:

  1. Reliability

Quality assurance of all AI-assisted content, including data integrity, methodological soundness, and avoidance of bias or misinformation.

  1. Integrity

Open and transparent declaration of AI use in manuscript preparation and publication outputs.

  1. Respect

Respect for individuals, communities, data privacy, copyright, intellectual property, and applicable ethical and legal frameworks.

  1. Accountability

Full author responsibility for all submitted content, irrespective of AI contribution. AI cannot be held accountable for errors.

 

Permitted Use of AI

AI may be used to support manuscript preparation provided that its role is that of an assisting tool and not as a primary or sole creator of scientific content. The following uses are permitted, subject to the conditions described in this policy:

  1. Improving grammar, syntax, and sentence readability
  2. Assisting with reference formatting and citation management
  3. Conducting initial or exploratory literature searches
  4. Supporting data visualization (layout, formatting — not data generation)
  5. Translating text, provided accuracy is verified by the authors
  6. Summarizing background information for the authors’ own understanding (not for direct use in the manuscript)
  7. Proofreading for typographical errors

 

IMPORTANT

Every AI output must be carefully reviewed, corrected, validated, and rewritten in the authors’ own words before submission. Direct copy-paste of AI-generated text is not permitted.

 

Specific Conditions for Grammar Checkers and Machine Translation

Authors who use grammar/spelling checkers or machine translation must additionally:

  1. Retain the original draft (before AI correction/translation) as evidence of authorship and can provide it upon editorial request.
  2. Review and edit all AI-suggested changes; do not accept suggestions wholesale without judgment.
  3. Verify translation accuracy, especially for field-specific terminology, drug names, and cultural or regulatory context.
  4. Declare the tool used (name and version) in the Acknowledgments or Methods section.

 

Unacceptable Use of AI

  1. J. Pharm. Sci. Community strongly prohibits the use of AI in any context where AI replaces the academic role, originality, critical thinking, or analysis of the authors. The following are strictly not permitted:
  2. Generating the scientific content of a manuscript
  3. This includes background, introduction, methods, data interpretation, results and discussion, and conclusions
  4. Manipulating or fabricating data, analytical results, images, or chemical/biological structures
  5. Generating text that paraphrases published work (disguised plagiarism)
  6. Conducting statistical analyses, generating research hypotheses, or making scientific decisions in place of the authors
  7. Creating or modifying clinical images, laboratory results, micrographs, spectral data, or other research images unless openly documented and ethically justified
  8. Submitting AI-generated text without disclosure or validation
  9. Entering ethically sensitive, confidential, or patient-identifiable data into any AI tool
  10. Using AI to circumvent plagiarism detection tools
  11. Claiming AI as an author, co-author, or contributor in any form

MISCONDUCT

Use of AI that compromises research validity or ethical publication practices — including fabrication, falsification, or undisclosed AI text generation — will be treated as research misconduct in accordance with COPE guidelines

 

AI Writing Detection Index

Manuscripts submitted to J. Pharm. Sci. Community are subject to AI writing detection screening. The maximum permissible AI Writing Detection Score for any submitted manuscript is 20%.

Authors whose manuscripts show elevated AI scores but who declare use of grammar checkers or machine translation may be requested to: (a) provide the original draft prior to AI-assisted editing; (b) explain their writing and editing process in detail; or (c) undergo an editorial interview to verify authorship and understanding of the content.

 

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors bear full and collective responsibility for the entire submitted manuscript, regardless of AI contributions. Authors must:

  1. Independently verify the accuracy of all AI-generated or AI-assisted content, including factual claims, citation correctness, and conceptual validity.
  2. Ensure that no AI-generated content contains errors, data fabrication, manipulation, or unoriginal text.
  3. Guarantee that AI use does not infringe copyright, violate privacy, or breach data ownership agreements.
  4. Confirm that all intellectual contributions, interpretations, and conclusions originate from human authors.
  5. Understand that AI tools cannot be listed as an author, collaborator, or contributor under any circumstances.
  6. Retain original drafts and records of AI tool use for at least two years following publication, to be provided to the editorial board upon request.

 

Disclosure Requirements

Any use of AI beyond basic spell-checking must be transparently declared in the submitted manuscript. The disclosure must include:

  1. The name, type, and version of the AI tool(s) used
  2. A brief description of how AI was used in the manuscript (e.g., grammar correction, translation, literature search)
  3. The specific prompts or instructions given to the AI tool, where relevant
  4. A statement confirming that all authors reviewed and take full responsibility for all AI-assisted content

Example:

"In the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used Grammarly (Version 1.0) to improve grammatical accuracy and sentence clarity. All AI-generated suggestions were reviewed, edited, and validated by the authors.

The disclosure may be placed in the Acknowledgments section or in a dedicated “AI Use Statement” section, and must appear before the References.

 

Editorial Handling and Peer Review

All manuscripts submitted to J. Pharm. Sci. Community — whether prepared with AI assistance or not — undergo the standard double-blind peer-review process. The editorial board may request clarification if AI use does not appear to comply with this policy.

If unacceptable AI use is suspected, the editorial board may take one or more of the following actions:

  1. Request a detailed explanation from the corresponding author regarding the extent and nature of AI use.
  2. Return the manuscript to the authors for substantial revision.
  3. Reject the manuscript with a statement citing this policy.
  4. Initiate formal procedures in accordance with COPE guidelines on research misconduct.

 

Ethical Considerations

The use of AI tools must respect fundamental principles of research ethics, including:

  1. Academic integrity and avoidance of plagiarism in all forms
  2. Transparency and accountability to the scientific community
  3. Protection of confidential, personal, or sensitive research data — do not enter such data into AI tools
  4. Avoidance of bias introduced by AI systems, particularly in patient outcomes, drug comparisons, or population health data
  5. Compliance with applicable laws on intellectual property, data privacy (e.g., GDPR, local regulations), and research ethics

AI-generated content that is found to violate this policy will result in actions in accordance with COPE guidelines, which may include correction, retraction, or reporting to the authors’ institution.

 

Policy Continuity and Updates

AI technology evolves rapidly, and so do the ethical frameworks governing its use. J. Pharm. Sci. Community will periodically review and revise this policy — no less than annually — to ensure it remains relevant, practical, and aligned with current COPE guidelines and developments in the field. Authors are strongly encouraged to consult the most current version of this policy before submitting a manuscript.