Corrections and Retractions Policy

CORRECTIONS, RETRACTIONS, EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN, AND WITHDRAWAL POLICY

Journal of Wound Research and Technology is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and trustworthiness of the scholarly record. The journal follows internationally recognized standards for publication ethics and post-publication editorial actions, including the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Editorial decisions concerning corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, withdrawals, removals, and article replacement are made to protect readers, authors, and the integrity of the published literature.

The journal recognizes that published articles may occasionally require post-publication updates or editorial action. When a significant error, misleading statement, or ethical concern is identified, the journal will assess the matter carefully and take appropriate action in a timely, transparent, and proportionate manner. Any post-publication notice issued by the journal will be clearly linked to the affected article and will remain part of the permanent scholarly record.

Corrections

A correction is issued when a published article contains an error that does not invalidate the overall results or conclusions of the work but nevertheless requires formal amendment for the sake of accuracy and clarity. Such errors may include mistakes in author affiliations, tables, figures, labels, references, data presentation, or other factual details that could mislead readers if left uncorrected.

Where appropriate, the journal may publish a corrigendum or erratum as a separate, citable document. The correction notice will identify the original article, describe the nature of the error, and specify the correction made. The original article will remain available, and an appropriate note or link to the correction will be added to the article record so that readers can easily identify the updated information.

Withdrawal

Withdrawal refers to the removal of an article from the editorial or early publication process before final issue publication, or in limited circumstances shortly after online publication, when serious concerns are identified that make the article unsuitable for continued publication. Withdrawal may be considered in cases such as major errors rendering the work unreliable, duplicate submission or duplicate publication, plagiarism, copyright infringement, serious ethical concerns, legal problems, or material that may pose a significant public health risk if acted upon.

If an article is withdrawn, the journal will issue a formal withdrawal notice stating the title of the article, the authors, the date of withdrawal, and the reason for the action, where appropriate. The journal will preserve the transparency of the scholarly record while clearly indicating that the article should not be regarded as part of the valid published literature. Depending on the seriousness of the case, the journal may also impose editorial sanctions, including temporary restrictions on future submissions.

Retractions

Retraction is issued when a published article is found to be seriously flawed or ethically compromised in a way that makes its findings or conclusions unreliable. Retraction may be appropriate in cases involving data fabrication, data falsification, serious methodological or analytical error, plagiarism, redundant publication, unethical research, peer-review manipulation, or other forms of publication misconduct. Retraction is intended to correct the literature and alert readers, not merely to punish authors.

When an article is retracted, Journal of Wound Research and Technology will publish a formal retraction notice that is clearly identified, linked to the original article, and indexed as part of the article record. The notice will state who is retracting the article and explain the reason for retraction. The original article will remain accessible for the integrity of the scholarly archive, but it will be clearly marked as retracted in all available versions, including the online full text and PDF, where applicable.

In handling retractions, the journal refers to the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

In cases of confirmed serious misconduct or repeated ethical violations, the journal may apply additional sanctions, such as written warnings, temporary or permanent submission bans, or notification to the relevant institution, funding body, or other responsible authority, where appropriate.

Article Removal for Legal Reasons

Removal of a published article is an exceptional measure and will be undertaken only in very limited circumstances, such as when the content is defamatory, infringes legal rights, is subject to a court order, or may pose a serious health risk if acted upon and where retraction alone is not a sufficient remedy. In such cases, the journal will retain the article metadata, including the title and authorship information, but the article text may be replaced with a notice indicating that the article has been removed for legal reasons.

Article Replacement

In rare cases where a published article poses a serious health risk if followed and the authors or editors determine that a corrected republication is necessary, the journal may retract the original article and replace it with a corrected version. In such circumstances, the journal will clearly document the history of the article and provide transparent links between the original record, the retraction notice, and the corrected replacement version.

Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued when substantial doubt arises regarding the integrity, reliability, or ethical conduct of a submitted or published work, but the available evidence is inconclusive or an institutional or editorial investigation is still ongoing. This mechanism allows the journal to alert readers to potentially serious concerns without prematurely reaching a final conclusion.

Any expression of concern published by Journal of Wound Research and Technology will be clearly identified, linked to the relevant article, and will explain the basis for the concern as far as possible. If the investigation later confirms or resolves the concerns, the journal may follow up with a correction, retraction, or removal of the expression of concern, as appropriate.

In handling such cases, the journal refers to the COPE Guidance on Expressions of Concern.

Editorial Process

All cases involving possible correction, withdrawal, retraction, removal, replacement, or expression of concern will be assessed by the editorial team in accordance with the journal’s ethical policies and relevant external guidance. The journal may request clarification from the authors, consult peer reviewers or editorial advisors, and, where necessary, contact the authors’ institutions or other relevant bodies. The journal will seek to ensure that all such matters are handled fairly, consistently, confidentially where appropriate, and with due regard for the integrity of the academic record.

Related Policies

  • Publication Ethics Policy
  • Publication Malpractice Statement
  • Peer Review Policy
  • Conflict of Interest Policy