Advertising and Sponsorship Policy

Naif Arab University Publishing House is committed to research integrity, editorial independence, and transparent scholarly communication. Commercial activity, including advertising and sponsorship, must never compromise ethical publishing standards or influence editorial decisions. This policy applies to all journals and publications issued by Naif Arab University Publishing House.

1. Editorial Independence

  • Advertisers and current or potential sponsors have no influence over editorial decisions, peer review outcomes, acceptance/rejection decisions, or the timing of publication.
  • Editorial content is developed and managed independently of commercial or financial interests.
  • The Editor-in-Chief and editorial team retain full responsibility for editorial policy and decisions.

2. Clear Identification and Separation

To protect reader trust and prevent confusion between research and marketing:

  • Advertisements must be clearly identifiable and distinct from editorial content in design, labeling, and placement.
  • Sponsored content must be clearly labeled as “Sponsored” (or equivalent wording) and visually separated from peer-reviewed content.
  • Funding sources for any sponsored content must be stated transparently within each item.

3. Sponsored Supplements

  • Sponsored supplements must be clearly labeled as “Sponsored Supplement” and include sponsor identification.
  • Supplements hosted within a journal publication must follow the journal’s editorial policies and ethical standards.
  • The editorial team retains full responsibility for:
    • Deciding whether to accept/host the supplement, and
    • Managing any peer review process (where applicable),
      entirely independent of the sponsor.
  • The presence of a supplement must be disclosed in the publication information (e.g., imprint/issue information), including the supplement title and sponsor.

4. Sponsored Content

  • Sponsored content must be clearly distinguishable from peer-reviewed articles and editorial material.
  • Each sponsored item must include:
    • The sponsor/funder name
    • The nature of sponsorship (e.g., “This content was funded by…”)
    • A clear statement on whether the item has undergone peer review

Responsibility and accountability:

  • The sponsor is responsible for the accuracy and compliance of sponsored content provided by them.
  • Sponsors are responsible for ensuring that any third-party materials reproduced (with or without modification. comply with applicable copyright and licensing requirements, and that appropriate permissions have been secured.
  • When figures or other materials are modified, the figure legend must state:
    “Modified with permission from [source].”

5. Types of Sponsored Material

Naif Arab University Publishing House may publish different categories of sponsored material. Where used, each category must be transparently labeled with its origin and nature.

6. Placement and Targeting Standards

  • Naif Arab University Publishing House will not sell treatment-specific or product-specific advertising on the condition that it is placed adjacent to a specific article mentioning that product in print.
  • Any juxtaposition that occurs coincidentally does not imply endorsement or editorial alignment.
  • Online advertising may be subject-targeted; however, advertising must remain clearly separated from editorial content and must not alter the integrity of article presentation.

7. Acceptability Criteria and Prohibited Advertising

Naif Arab University Publishing House reserves the right to decline any advertising that is inappropriate, misleading, or inconsistent with research ethics and public interest.

We do not accept advertisements for:

  • Illegal products or services
  • Products known to be harmful to health (e.g., tobacco products; and other restricted categories as determined by applicable law and institutional policy)
  • Any material that is deceptive, misleading, indecent, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate to the journal’s scope and audience

8. Legal, Regulatory, and Ethical Compliance

  • All advertisements and sponsorship arrangements must be legal, decent, and truthful, and must comply with relevant laws, regulations, and industry codes in the geographic areas where they will be displayed.
  • Compliance is the responsibility of the advertiser/sponsor.
  • For drug-related advertisements (where permitted by law):
    • The full generic name of each active ingredient must be stated.
    • Prescription-only medicines must be clearly labeled as such (where applicable/required).

9. Removal and Withdrawal

Naif Arab University Publishing House reserves the right to withdraw or remove any advertisement (print or online. at any time if:

  • The Editor-in-Chief or Publisher requests removal,
  • The advertisement violates this policy, or
  • The advertisement violates any applicable law, regulation, or industry standard.

10. Concerns and Complaints

Readers, authors, and stakeholders may raise concerns about advertisements or sponsored content. Reports will be reviewed promptly and handled in accordance with the Publishing House’s governance and ethics procedures.