Terms and Conditions

Welcome to the abstract submission portal for the SLMA 139th Anniversary International Medical Congress, organized by the Sri Lanka Medical Association. By creating an account and submitting an abstract, you agree to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions.

1. User Accounts & Eligibility

1.1 Account Security: You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials. You must immediately notify the organizers of any unauthorized use of your account.

1.2 Membership Requirement: All authors listed on the abstract should be members of the SLMA, provided they are eligible for membership (i.e., doctors and medical students).

1.3 Submission Limit: One author is permitted to submit a maximum of three (03) abstracts.

1.4 Accuracy of Information: You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information. The SLMA reserves the right to reject submissions if author details are found to be inaccurate.

2. Submission Guidelines

2.1 Submission Method: All abstracts must be submitted electronically via the official portal (https://slma.lk/abstracts/). Hard copy submissions to the SLMA office will not be accepted.

2.2 Language: All abstracts must be submitted in English.

2.3 Formatting Compliance: Submissions must strictly adhere to the formatting guidelines (Microsoft Word format, 2-page structure, specific fonts, and anonymity rules). Abstracts not conforming to these instructions will be rejected.

2.4 No Amendments: Please note that NO amendments to the submitted abstracts (including the authors list) will be entertained after the closing of submission.

3. Ethical Compliance & Integrity

3.1 Ethical Approval: All research studies must have obtained ethical approval from a recognized Ethics Review Committee (ERC). Authors must be able to provide the letter of approval upon request[cite: 18, 19].

3.2 Clinical Trials: All clinical trials must be registered with a Clinical Trials Registry. The registration number must be provided upon request[cite: 18, 19].

3.3 Plagiarism Policy: The SLMA considers plagiarism serious professional misconduct. All abstracts are screened. If plagiarism is identified, the abstract and all other abstracts submitted by that author will be rejected.

3.4 Patient Privacy: Case reports and series must ensure strict patient anonymity. No identifiable patient data (names, hospital numbers, facial photographs without consent) should be included.

4. Intellectual Property & Publication Rights

4.1 Copyright: The authors retain the copyright to their research and abstract content.

4.2 License to Publish: By submitting an abstract, you grant the Sri Lanka Medical Association a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free license to:

• Publish the abstract in the conference proceedings and the Ceylon Medical Journal Abstract Book (digital or print).
• Display the abstract on the SLMA website and application.
• Use the abstract title and author names for marketing and program scheduling.

4.3 Editing Rights: The SLMA reserves the right modify the title if necessary.

5. Review and Selection Process

5.1 Peer Review: All submissions will be subjected to a blind peer-review process by a panel of reviewers.

5.2 Finality of Decision: The decision of the Scientific Committee regarding acceptance or rejection is final and cannot be appealed.

5.3 Notification: Successful applicants will be notified via email.

6. Presenter Responsibilities

6.1 Registration: Acceptance of an abstract is conditional upon the presenting author registering for the sessions.

6.2 Mandatory Attendance: Presenters are expected to attend the session in person. Failure to make a presentation (oral or poster) once participation is confirmed will be considered an episode of academic/scientific misconduct, and the authors will be liable for punitive action.

7. Limitation of Liability

7.1 Technical Issues: The Sri Lanka Medical Association is not responsible for errors, omissions, or technical issues (e.g., server downtime, failed uploads) that may prevent an abstract from being submitted by the deadline.

7.2 Event Changes: The organizers reserve the right to cancel, postpone, or modify the event schedule due to unforeseen circumstances.

8. Governing Law

These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Colombo.