Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you and GlobalDocsHub ("we", "us", "our") governing your access to and use of globaldocshub.com, associated subdomains, and our API services (collectively, the "Platform"). By accessing or using the Platform, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms.

2. Eligibility

Use of the Platform is available to:

• General public — for verification queries and browsing verified publications.
• Registered physicians — licensed medical practitioners with verifiable credentials who register to publish their profiles and research.
• Institutional users — universities, hospitals, research organisations, and publishers accessing the Platform via the API.

By registering, you confirm that all information provided is accurate, current, and complete. You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account.

3. Description of Services

GlobalDocsHub provides:

• Cryptographic verification and indexing of peer-reviewed medical publications
• Physician identity and credential verification via medical registries
• Verified physician profile subdomains linking research to verified authors
• DOI registration and integration via CrossRef
• REST API access for institutional integration

We are a verification and attribution layer, not a publisher. We do not conduct peer review. We verify that documents match their submitted cryptographic hash and that authors hold the credentials they claim.

4. Physician Registration & Verification

4.1 Registration Requirements

Physicians applying for a verified profile must:

• Hold a valid medical licence in their country of practice
• Provide a verifiable institutional affiliation
• Submit an ORCID identifier or equivalent academic identifier
• Consent to verification against international medical registries

4.2 Accuracy of Information

You are solely responsible for the accuracy of all submitted credentials, affiliations, and publication metadata. Misrepresentation of credentials constitutes grounds for immediate removal and may be reported to relevant regulatory authorities.

4.3 Profile Permanence

Once verified, physician profiles are permanently recorded. Profiles may only be deactivated through a formal retraction process. Retraction reasons are documented and remain publicly accessible to maintain the integrity of the verification record.

5. Publication Submissions

5.1 Eligibility for Submission

Only peer-reviewed publications from recognised journals are eligible for indexing. Conference abstracts, preprints, letters to editors, and unreviewed content are not accepted.

5.2 Intellectual Property & Licensing

By submitting a publication, you confirm that:

• You are an author or hold the appropriate rights to submit the document
• You have the right to authorise indexing and cryptographic verification
• The submission does not infringe any third-party copyright, patent, or trade secret

Submitting a document does not transfer ownership. You retain all intellectual property rights in your original work. GlobalDocsHub is granted a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display document metadata, store cryptographic hashes, and provide verification services related to the document.

5.3 No Re-distribution

We store cryptographic hashes, not full document content, unless the document is open access. Full-text access is provided only where the publisher has expressly authorised distribution.

6. Prohibited Uses

You agree not to:

• Submit fraudulent, fabricated, or plagiarised content
• Misrepresent credentials, affiliations, or authorship
• Attempt to circumvent cryptographic verification mechanisms
• Scrape, harvest, or systematically download Platform content without authorised API access
• Use the Platform for automated credential fraud, identity theft, or impersonation of medical professionals
• Introduce malware, denial-of-service attacks, or interference with Platform infrastructure
• Use the Platform in any way that violates applicable laws or regulations

7. API Use

API access is subject to the following additional conditions:

• API keys may only be used by the registered institution and may not be shared, resold, or transferred
• You must comply with all rate limits specified in your API plan
• API data may only be used for the stated purpose in your access application
• Bulk downloads must comply with our data use policies and may not be used to build competing verification services

8. Disclaimers

GlobalDocsHub is a verification and attribution service. We do not:

• Provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations
• Endorse the clinical conclusions of verified publications
• Guarantee the clinical accuracy or current validity of any research indexed on the Platform
• Assume responsibility for how third parties use information retrieved from the Platform

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, GlobalDocsHub shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Platform. Our total liability to you for any claim arising from these Terms shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the twelve months preceding the claim, or €100, whichever is greater.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless GlobalDocsHub and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses arising from: (a) your use of the Platform; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) any content you submit to the Platform; or (d) your violation of any third-party rights.

11. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Platform at any time, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including intellectual property provisions, disclaimers, and limitations of liability.

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the European Union and applicable national laws. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of the European Union.

13. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated with at least 30 days' notice via the Platform and registered email addresses. Continued use of the Platform following notice constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Contact

For enquiries regarding these Terms: [email protected]