Withdrawal Policy

1. Purpose of the Policy

This policy ensures that any post-publication changes to articles—whether due to honest error or ethical concerns—are conducted in a transparent, traceable, and accountable manner. All changes are documented to maintain the integrity of the scholarly archive.

2. Types of Post-Publication Changes

ABSE recognizes four types of post-publication actions:

• Correction: Minor or major amendments to an article to address unintentional errors.
• Retraction: Removal of an article due to serious ethical or scientific violations.
• Replacement: Republishing an updated version when critical errors invalidate findings but corrected results are available.
• Withdrawal: Removal of an article prior to or shortly after publication, usually initiated by authors or editors.

3. Corrections

Corrections are issued when minor errors (e.g., author affiliations, figure labeling, or typographical mistakes) do not affect the article’s conclusions. Corrections appear in a separate document linked to the original article and labeled as “Correction Notice.”

• Minor corrections are made directly in the article PDF and HTML, with date stamps.
• Major corrections are published as standalone notices.
• All correction notices are indexed and cross-linked through DOI metadata.

4. Retractions

Retractions are reserved for serious ethical breaches or invalid scientific content. Examples include:

• Plagiarism or duplicate publication.
• Fabricated or falsified data.
• Unauthorized data or image manipulation.
• Unethical research involving humans or animals.
• Failure to disclose major conflicts of interest.

“Retraction is a last-resort corrective measure used only when an article’s findings are unreliable or unethical practices are confirmed.”

Retracted articles remain online, clearly labeled as “Retracted” both in the article and in all index metadata, to preserve the scholarly record. Retraction notices explain the reason for the action and are permanently linked to the original article.

5. Replacement Policy

In cases where the article’s core findings are invalid but corrected results are available, ABSE may permit article replacement. The updated article replaces the original version, with the following conditions:

• The original and replacement versions are clearly marked and linked.
• The reason for replacement is publicly disclosed in a notice.
• The new version undergoes editorial and peer review.

6. Withdrawal Before Publication

Authors may request withdrawal of their manuscript before peer review or before final publication. Valid reasons include:

• Accidental multiple submission to different journals.
• Discovery of serious errors in the data or analysis.
• Ethical concerns regarding study design or authorship.

Withdrawals requested after peer review are generally not permitted unless supported by valid evidence and approved by the Editor-in-Chief. If approved, a withdrawal notice stating the reason and approval date is issued.

7. Withdrawal After Publication

Once an article is published and assigned a DOI, it becomes part of the permanent scientific record. Withdrawal after publication is permitted only under exceptional circumstances, such as:

• Violation of legal or ethical obligations (e.g., libel, copyright infringement, privacy breach).
• Discovery of fraudulent data or ethical misconduct post-publication.

Such withdrawals result in a “Removed Article Notice” explaining the reason and date of withdrawal. The original content may be replaced with a statement preserving the DOI link.

8. Article Processing and Withdrawal Charges

Withdrawal requests made after acceptance or publication may incur administrative or processing charges to cover editorial and technical costs. Charges vary depending on the article’s stage in the workflow and are assessed transparently.

9. COPE and ICMJE Compliance

ABSE strictly adheres to the COPE Retraction Guidelines and the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work. All post-publication actions follow these standards to ensure fairness and transparency.

10. Transparency and Indexing

All correction, retraction, and withdrawal notices are:

• Freely accessible to readers.
• Linked to original and replacement versions.
• Indexed in databases such as CrossRef, DOAJ, and Google Scholar.
• Included in the journal’s permanent archive through Portico and LOCKSS.

11. Appeals

Authors may appeal against a withdrawal, correction, or retraction by submitting a formal request to the Editor-in-Chief. Appeals are reviewed by the Ethics Committee in accordance with COPE procedures, and decisions are final.

12. Contact Information

All withdrawal and retraction-related correspondence should be directed to:

• Email: [email protected]
• Editorial Office: Annals of Biomedical Science and Engineering (ABSE), USA