POST-PUBLICATION POLICIES

Post-publication policies, including corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, and, in exceptional cases, withdrawal, removal, or replacement of an article, are vital to maintaining scholarly integrity. In handling these matters, the Journal follows established and widely recognized ethical standards for scholarly publishing, particularly the COPE guidelines. All post-publication updates are formally documented and incorporated into the article’s Crossmark record to ensure transparency regarding its current status. For additional information about the Journal’s Crossmark policy, please click here.

In cases of alleged scientific misconduct involving published articles, the Journal may take all necessary steps to maintain the accuracy and transparency of the scholarly record. Anyone may report suspected unethical behavior to the Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board, if supported by credible evidence. The Journal will conduct an internal review and allow the involved author(s) to respond. After the review, any confirmed misconduct is classified as minor or serious.

Minor misconduct that does not compromise the integrity of the manuscript or the Journal is generally resolved directly with the authors or reviewers involved. The Journal will publish a correction (for author(s) errors), or an erratum (for Journal’s errors). Both a correction and an erratum will be linked to the original paper.

Serious misconduct may require more extensive actions. The Editorial Board may issue a formal notice, inform the author’s or reviewer’s institution, retract the article in accordance with the Journal’s Retraction Policy, impose a temporary submission ban, or refer the case to legal authorities. All procedures follow COPE guidelines. Retractions and other formal notices are published separately, clearly explain the reason for the action, and remain permanently linked to the original article.

Allegations may be submitted anonymously, but must include a written disclosure of any financial or other conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts should be declared even if they seem unrelated. Disclosure does not invalidate the allegation but may be considered during evaluation. The Journal strives to protect the complainant’s anonymity; however, in some cases, identity may be unintentionally revealed. Once the investigation is complete, complainants are informed about the final decision.

Expression of Concern

When serious concerns arise that cannot be immediately resolved, or when sufficient information cannot be obtained from authors or institutions, the Journal may issue an Expression of Concern. This notice is linked to the article and alerts readers to potential issues. It may later be replaced by a Correction or Retraction, or remain in place if the investigation is inconclusive. Authors are informed before the notice is published, but their approval is not required for publication.

Retractions

Retractions are issued when an article contains major errors or breaches of scholarly integrity, such as plagiarism, fraudulent data, or misrepresentation of results. They may be initiated by the Editorial Board, the authors, or both. Retraction notices are published separately, linked to the original article, and explain the reason for the retraction. The original article remains available but is clearly marked as retracted, including on the PDF version. Retractions may also occur if results are unreliable or if the findings were previously published without proper attribution. Authors are informed and may comment, but their approval is not required for publication. For more details, please refer to our Retraction Policy.

Withdrawal, Removal, and Replacement

In addition to retractions, the Editorial Board may, in exceptional circumstances, decide to withdraw, remove, or replace an article. Such measures are applied only in cases involving legal issues, ethical violations, or other serious concerns. A notice clearly explaining the reason for withdrawal is permanently linked to the article, and 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.

Appeals

Authors may appeal post-publication corrections by providing relevant evidence and submitting any new data that addresses the concerns. They may express objections or ask for reconsideration, but reversal is not guaranteed, as the final decision rests with the editors and does not require a formal appeals process. All appeals should be directed to editorial.office@afmn-biomedicine.com.