AFMN Biomedicine participates in Crossmark program, a Crossref initiative that helps readers identify the most current and reliable version of a published article. The Crossmark logo on every article, both the HTML and PDF versions, affirms that our Journal is dedicated to preserving an accurate and reliable scholarly record. By clicking the CrossMark icon, readers can verify an article’s status, including whether it has been corrected, retracted, withdrawn, or otherwise changed.  

Once published, articles become part of our academic archive, and any post-publication updates are made transparently and in line with recognized publishing standards. All update notices and status changes are deposited with Crossref and reflected in Crossmark metadata. If errors are discovered that do not affect the overall reported findings, they are addressed through a formal Correction (for author errors) or Erratum (for journal errors). A notice is linked to the original article, which is clearly marked as retracted. Both the article and the update remain permanently accessible. 

When serious concerns arise that cannot be immediately resolved, the Journal may issue an Expression of Concern. It is linked to the article, alerting readers to potential issues, and may later be replaced by a correction or retraction, or remain in place if the investigation is inconclusive. 

In more serious cases, such as research misconduct, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unreliable data, the Journal may issue a Retraction. A Retraction notice clearly explains who and why initiated the action and is linked to the original article, which remains available but is clearly marked as retracted, including on the PDF. 

Withdrawal or Removal may occur in exceptional situations. A notice clearly explaining the reason for withdrawing is permanently linked to the article, while content is removed only when legally required. Even in such cases, bibliographic information remains available to preserve the scholarly record. 

In rare circumstances when published information may pose a serious health or safety risk, an article may be replaced with a corrected version. The reason for this action is clearly stated and recorded through Crossmark. 

Through these practices, the Journal remains committed to transparency and accountability, and maintaining a trustworthy Version of Record. 

DOI: 10.65641/crossmark-policy