Retraction Policy

Policy Statement

Biomedical Update is committed to maintaining the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of the scholarly record. When a published article is found to contain significant errors, ethical violations, or evidence of research misconduct, the journal will take appropriate editorial action, including the publication of corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions, as necessary.

Retractions are issued to correct the scientific record and to inform readers of unreliable or unethical published work. They are not intended as a punitive measure against authors.

Grounds for Retraction

A published article may be retracted if there is clear evidence of one or more of the following:

  • Data fabrication or data falsification.
  • Plagiarism or substantial unattributed text overlap.
  • Duplicate or redundant publication.
  • Serious methodological errors or unreliable findings that invalidate the conclusions.
  • Image manipulation that materially affects the interpretation of the research.
  • Unethical research involving human participants or animals.
  • Lack of required ethical approval or informed consent where applicable.
  • Authorship manipulation or fraudulent authorship claims.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest that significantly affect the interpretation of the work.
  • Peer-review manipulation or editorial misconduct.
  • Copyright infringement or other legal or ethical violations.

Retraction Procedure

When concerns are raised regarding a published article, the Editorial Office will:

  1. Conduct a preliminary assessment of the allegation.
  2. Gather relevant evidence and supporting documentation.
  3. Contact the corresponding author to request an explanation.
  4. Consult the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board, and independent experts where appropriate.
  5. Reach a decision based on the available evidence and the journal's publication ethics policies.

If necessary, the journal may also communicate with the authors' institution, funding organization, or other relevant authorities.

Retraction Notice

If an article is retracted:

  • A formal Retraction Notice will be published promptly.
  • The notice will be freely accessible and linked to the original article.
  • The reason for the retraction will be clearly stated while avoiding defamatory language.
  • The notice will identify who initiated the retraction (e.g., authors, editors, or publisher), where appropriate.

Availability of Retracted Articles

To preserve the integrity of the scholarly record, retracted articles will normally remain available on the journal website but will be clearly identified as Retracted. The full text will be digitally watermarked or otherwise marked to indicate its retracted status, and readers will be directed to the associated Retraction Notice.

Articles will only be removed from the journal website in exceptional circumstances, such as when required by a court order, legal obligation, or where continued availability would pose a serious legal or ethical risk.

Corrections and Expressions of Concern

Where the issues do not warrant retraction, the journal may instead publish:

  • Correction (Erratum): To rectify errors introduced during publication or by the authors that do not invalidate the article's conclusions.
  • Corrigendum: To correct significant author-identified errors after publication.
  • Expression of Concern: When credible concerns exist but an investigation is ongoing or the available evidence is inconclusive.

These notices will be permanently linked to the original article.

Author Cooperation

Authors are expected to cooperate fully with any investigation into potential publication misconduct. Failure to respond to editorial inquiries does not prevent the journal from proceeding with appropriate editorial action when sufficient evidence exists.

Editorial Responsibility

The Editor-in-Chief has ultimate responsibility for decisions regarding corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions. Editorial decisions are made independently, objectively, and based solely on the available evidence, publication ethics, and the integrity of the scientific record.

Commitment to Research Integrity

Biomedical Update is committed to preserving the trust of readers, authors, reviewers, and the wider scientific community by ensuring that the published literature remains accurate, transparent, and reliable. The journal manages retractions, corrections, and post-publication updates in accordance with internationally recognized best practices for scholarly publishing.