Privacy Statement

1) Scope

This policy applies to all users of the GMJ site, including authors, reviewers, editors, and readers.

2) Data we collect

• Identification and contact: name, email address, affiliation, country/region, role (author/reviewer/editor).
• Account and activity: usernames, submissions, reviews, editorial decisions, timestamps, and communications related to manuscripts.
• Technical data: IP address, browser/user-agent, and cookies necessary for secure sessions and workflow. We do not use third-party advertising cookies.

3) Purpose and lawful basis

We process personal data only to operate the journal: user registration, manuscript handling, peer-review coordination, editorial communication, publication, indexing/archiving, and service notices. Lawful bases: performance of a service you request (contract / legitimate interest) and, where applicable, consent (e.g., optional alerts).

4) Sharing and disclosures

We do not sell personal data. Limited disclosures may occur to trusted service providers strictly for journal operations (e.g., hosting, preservation/archiving, DOI registration) under confidentiality and data-protection obligations. We may disclose data when required by law.

5) Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect data against loss, misuse, and unauthorised access, including encrypted transport, role-based access, and audit logs.

6) Retention

• Account / profile and workflow records are retained as long as needed for journal operations and to preserve the scholarly record.
• You may request account closure; some records (e.g., published articles, identifiers tied to peer-review history) may be retained to safeguard research integrity.

7) Your rights

Where applicable, you may request the following with respect to your personal data:

We will respond consistent with legal obligations and the need to maintain the scholarly record.

8) Cookies and analytics

We use essential cookies for secure login and workflow continuity. Any optional analytics (if enabled) use aggregated data; no personal data are sold or used for advertising.

9) Children

This site is intended for adults engaged in scholarly activity; it is not directed to children.

10) Changes to this policy

We may update this statement to reflect operational, legal, or technical changes. The "last updated" date appears at the top of this page.

11) Contact

Georgian Medical Journal (GMJ) · Published by the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) · Open Access · CC BY 4.0 · ISSN 3088-4322 · DOI prefix 10.66636 · gmj.ge