Correction, Retraction, and Withdrawal

MEDICA (International Medical Scientific Journal) is committed to preserving the accuracy, reliability, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record in medical and health sciences. The journal recognizes that the correction of published errors, the retraction of unreliable articles, and the appropriate management of manuscript withdrawal are essential components of responsible scholarly publishing.

MEDICA follows recognized publication ethics principles and relevant recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), as applicable, when addressing errors, concerns regarding research integrity, and potential violations of publication ethics. All editorial actions are conducted fairly, transparently, and proportionately, based on the available evidence and the seriousness of the issue.

1. Corrections

MEDICA may publish a correction when an error is identified in a published article and the error can be corrected without requiring retraction of the entire publication. Corrections are intended to maintain the accuracy and clarity of the scholarly record while ensuring that readers can distinguish the original content from the corrected information.

Corrections may be considered for errors involving, but not limited to:

  1. Author names, affiliations, or other relevant publication metadata.

  2. Data presentation, statistical values, tables, figures, or illustrations.

  3. References, citations, acknowledgments, or funding information.

  4. Errors in the text, terminology, units of measurement, or other scientific details.

  5. Errors or omissions in declarations of conflicts of interest, funding, ethics approval, informed consent, or other required statements.

  6. Other factual or editorial errors that may affect the interpretation, reproducibility, or understanding of the article.

The corresponding author, any co-author, readers, or other concerned parties may notify the MEDICA Editorial Office of a suspected error. Reports should identify the article, describe the error, and provide supporting information where available.

The Editorial Board will assess the reported error and may request clarification or supporting documentation from the authors. Where necessary, independent experts may be consulted. If a correction is warranted, MEDICA will publish a correction notice that clearly identifies the original article, describes the error, specifies the correction, and provides a link to the original publication.

Correction notices will be linked to the relevant article to maintain transparency and traceability. The original article may be updated where appropriate, with a clear indication that a correction has been made and a reference to the published notice. Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect the scientific meaning may be corrected without a separate formal notice, at the discretion of the Editorial Board and in accordance with the journal's editorial practices.

If the identified errors substantially undermine the reliability of the findings or conclusions, a correction alone may not be sufficient, and the Editorial Board may consider an expression of concern or retraction.

2. Retractions

MEDICA may retract a published article when reliable evidence indicates that its findings, conclusions, or publication integrity are seriously compromised. Retraction is intended to alert readers that the article should not be relied upon as part of the valid scholarly record, while preserving the transparency and traceability of the publication history.

Grounds for retraction may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Fabrication or falsification of research data, results, images, or other research materials.

  2. Plagiarism, substantial unattributed reuse of text or research content, or serious duplicate publication.

  3. Serious methodological, analytical, or reporting errors that invalidate the main findings or conclusions.

  4. Unethical research practices, including serious violations of research ethics requirements or the rights and protection of human participants or animals.

  5. Manipulation of authorship, fraudulent authorship claims, or serious authorship-related misconduct.

  6. Manipulation of the peer-review process or other forms of publication-process misconduct.

  7. Inappropriate manipulation of images, figures, or data that compromises the reliability of the research.

  8. Undisclosed conflicts of interest or other serious omissions that materially undermine confidence in the research or its interpretation.

  9. Publication based on fraudulent, invalid, or improperly obtained ethical approval or consent, where the circumstances justify retraction.

  10. Other serious violations of research integrity or publication ethics that make the article unreliable or unsuitable to remain part of the trusted scholarly record.

Retraction may be considered following a report from authors, readers, reviewers, editors, institutions, research ethics committees, funders, or other credible sources. The Editorial Board will assess the evidence and, where appropriate, request an explanation or relevant documentation from the authors and consult independent experts or the authors' institutions.

Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond to the concerns before a final editorial decision is made, unless urgent action is necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record or comply with applicable legal or ethical obligations. A lack of response from the authors will not automatically prevent the journal from taking appropriate action when sufficient evidence is available.

A retraction notice will clearly identify the retracted article and explain the principal reasons for the decision. The notice will be publicly accessible and linked to the original article. The original article will ordinarily remain available in the journal's online archive, clearly marked as retracted, to preserve the scholarly record and prevent the article's publication history from becoming obscured.

The retraction notice will distinguish, where possible, between misconduct, honest error, and other circumstances leading to retraction. It will identify the responsible parties or the basis for the decision as appropriate, while respecting confidentiality, legal requirements, and relevant publication ethics standards. Retraction does not automatically imply that every author is responsible for the problem; individual responsibility will be assessed based on the available evidence.

3. Manuscript Withdrawal

MEDICA recognizes that authors may occasionally need to request the withdrawal of a manuscript before publication. Withdrawal requests must be based on valid and justifiable reasons and must be submitted through the journal's official communication channels.

Manuscript withdrawal is distinct from retraction. Withdrawal generally concerns a manuscript that has not yet been formally published, whereas retraction concerns a published article whose reliability or integrity is seriously compromised. Withdrawal must not be used to avoid legitimate editorial queries, peer-review criticism, research-integrity investigations, or the correction of errors.

3.1. Withdrawal Before the Editorial or Peer-Review Process

Authors may request withdrawal before substantive editorial assessment or peer review has begun. The corresponding author must submit a formal written request to the MEDICA Editorial Office, identifying the manuscript title, manuscript identification number, and reason for withdrawal.

The request must confirm that the co-authors have been informed and, where applicable, agree to the withdrawal. The Editor will review the request and provide written confirmation when the withdrawal has been processed.

3.2. Withdrawal During the Editorial or Peer-Review Process

Withdrawal after a manuscript has entered editorial assessment or peer review is strongly discouraged. If withdrawal is necessary for a legitimate reason, the corresponding author must submit a formal written request explaining the circumstances and confirming the position of all co-authors.

The Editorial Board may request further clarification before deciding whether to approve the request. A manuscript will be considered officially withdrawn only after the corresponding author receives written confirmation from MEDICA.

Until written confirmation is received, the manuscript remains under consideration by MEDICA. Authors must not submit the same manuscript to another journal while it remains under active consideration by MEDICA.

Withdrawal will not automatically terminate an ongoing inquiry into suspected plagiarism, duplicate submission, fabricated or falsified data, authorship disputes, ethical violations, or other serious research-integrity concerns. The journal may continue appropriate procedures or refer the matter to a relevant institution or authority when justified.

3.3. Withdrawal After Acceptance

Withdrawal of a manuscript that has already been accepted for publication is strongly discouraged and will be considered only in exceptional circumstances supported by clear and justifiable reasons.

The corresponding author must submit a formal written request explaining why publication should not proceed and confirming that all co-authors have been informed and, where applicable, agree to the request. The Editor will evaluate the circumstances and determine whether withdrawal is appropriate.

The final decision rests with the MEDICA Editor or an authorized editorial representative. Acceptance of a withdrawal request is not automatic, and the journal may refuse a request when the reasons are insufficient, when withdrawal would undermine publication ethics, or when an unresolved research-integrity concern requires further action.

3.4. Withdrawal After Online Publication

Once an article has been formally published online as part of the scholarly record, it will not ordinarily be treated as an unpublished manuscript that can simply be withdrawn. If a serious error, ethical concern, or other substantial problem is identified after publication, MEDICA will assess the matter under its correction, expression of concern, and retraction procedures.

Removal of an online article may be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as a binding legal requirement, a serious risk to personal safety, a significant privacy or confidentiality violation, or another compelling reason that cannot reasonably be addressed through a correction or retraction notice. Any removal or restriction will be handled cautiously and documented as transparently as circumstances permit.

4. Expressions of Concern

MEDICA may publish an Expression of Concern when credible and substantial questions arise regarding the reliability, integrity, or ethical compliance of a published article, but the available evidence is insufficient for an immediate final decision.

An Expression of Concern may be considered when:

  1. An investigation into suspected research misconduct or publication ethics violations is ongoing.

  2. Relevant institutions or authorities have not yet completed their assessment.

  3. The authors or institutions have not provided sufficient information to resolve significant concerns.

  4. Evidence suggests that readers should be alerted to a potential problem while further assessment is conducted.

  5. Other circumstances create a reasonable basis for concern about the reliability or integrity of the article.

An Expression of Concern will identify the article in question and explain the nature of the unresolved issue to the extent permitted by the available evidence, confidentiality requirements, and applicable law. The notice will be linked to the original publication and made publicly accessible.

An Expression of Concern does not, by itself, establish that misconduct has occurred or that the article's findings are invalid. Following further assessment, MEDICA may maintain the notice, publish a correction, retract the article, or take no further action if the concerns are satisfactorily resolved.

5. Editorial Assessment and Decision-Making

All correction, retraction, withdrawal, and Expression of Concern requests or reports will be assessed individually by the MEDICA Editorial Board or an appropriately authorized editor.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may:

  1. Conduct an initial assessment of the information received.

  2. Request explanations, original data, research documentation, ethics approval records, consent documentation, or other relevant materials from the authors.

  3. Consult independent reviewers, subject experts, statistical experts, or research ethics specialists.

  4. Contact the authors' affiliated institutions, research ethics committees, funders, or other appropriate authorities.

  5. Evaluate the responses and available evidence before determining the appropriate editorial action.

Editorial decisions will be based on the reliability of the evidence, the potential effect on the scholarly record, the seriousness of the issue, and relevant publication ethics principles. Editors must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and withdraw from decision-making when their impartiality may reasonably be questioned.

MEDICA will seek to give affected parties a fair opportunity to provide relevant information. However, the journal may take timely protective action when necessary to alert readers to a significant risk or concern, even if an institutional investigation has not been completed.

6. Publication Fees and Refunds

Any publication or processing fees paid to MEDICA will be handled in accordance with the journal's applicable fee policy and the circumstances of the case.

Withdrawal of a manuscript after editorial assessment, peer review, or acceptance does not automatically entitle the authors to a refund of fees already paid. Where a fee is non-refundable under the applicable policy, the authors remain responsible for the applicable charges.

Requests for refunds, if any, will be assessed in accordance with the journal's published fee terms and relevant circumstances. A fee decision will not determine or influence the editorial assessment of research quality, research integrity, or publication ethics concerns.

7. Appeals

Authors or other directly affected parties may appeal a correction, retraction, withdrawal, or related editorial decision by submitting a written explanation to the MEDICA Editorial Office, together with relevant evidence or documentation.

Appeals should identify the specific decision being challenged and provide substantive grounds for reconsideration. Where reasonably possible, the appeal will be assessed by an editor who was not directly responsible for the original decision or by another independent editorial representative.

The journal may decline repeated appeals that do not provide new evidence or a reasonable basis for reconsideration. The outcome of the appeal will be communicated to the relevant parties through the journal's official communication channels.

8. Transparency, Archiving, and Publication Ethics

MEDICA is committed to maintaining a transparent and reliable scholarly record. Correction notices, retraction notices, and Expressions of Concern will be linked to the relevant publications and retained in the journal's archive, subject to applicable legal, privacy, and technical requirements.

The journal will handle all cases with due regard for confidentiality, fairness, the rights of authors and research participants, and the public interest in reliable scientific communication. Where appropriate, MEDICA will follow relevant COPE guidance and other recognized publication ethics standards.

By submitting a manuscript to MEDICA, authors acknowledge their responsibility to provide accurate and ethically obtained research, cooperate with reasonable editorial inquiries, disclose relevant information, and comply with the journal's policies on corrections, retractions, and withdrawal.

MEDICA reserves the right to revise this policy when necessary to reflect developments in scholarly publishing, research integrity, and publication ethics.