Retractions, Errata, Corrigendum and Expression of Concern Policy
The International Journal of Tropical Medicine (IJTM) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the scientific record. When a published article is found to contain a significant error, ethical concern, or evidence of publication misconduct, the journal will take appropriate corrective action in accordance with established publication-ethics principles and relevant COPE guidance.
Corrections
Corrections are issued when an error in a published article affects the accuracy, clarity, or interpretation of the work but does not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions.
Corrections may be initiated by the authors, editors, readers, or other relevant parties. The Editor-in-Chief will assess the reported issue and determine whether a correction, corrigendum, expression of concern, or retraction is appropriate.
Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect the meaning or scientific interpretation of an article may not require a formal correction notice.
Retractions
An article may be considered for retraction when there is substantial evidence that its findings or conclusions are unreliable, or when serious publication or research misconduct has occurred.
A retraction may be considered in circumstances including, but not limited to:
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Fabrication or falsification of research data or results.
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Significant errors that invalidate the main findings or conclusions.
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Plagiarism or substantial unattributed use of previously published material.
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Duplicate or redundant publication without appropriate disclosure.
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Serious ethical violations involving human participants or animals.
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Use of data, images, or other material without appropriate authorization.
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Serious undisclosed conflicts of interest that could have materially influenced the research or its interpretation.
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Major authorship or publication-related misconduct.
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Manipulation or compromise of the peer-review process.
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Serious legal or copyright concerns affecting the validity or publication of the article.
A request for retraction may be submitted by an author, institution, reader, reviewer, or editor. The journal will independently assess the available evidence before making a decision.
Retraction Procedure
When a potential case requiring retraction is identified, IJTM will:
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Review the concern and available supporting evidence.
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Contact the corresponding author and, where appropriate, other authors for an explanation.
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Conduct an appropriate editorial or research-integrity assessment, maintaining fairness and confidentiality throughout the process.
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Consult relevant experts or the authors' institutions where necessary.
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Follow applicable publication-ethics principles, including relevant COPE guidance, when determining the appropriate course of action.
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Make a final editorial decision based on the evidence available.
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Notify the authors and other relevant parties where appropriate.
If an article is retracted, the journal will publish a clearly identified “Retraction” notice explaining the principal reason for the retraction. The notice will be linked to the original article so that readers are clearly informed of the article's retracted status.
The original article will normally remain accessible as part of the permanent scholarly record, but it will be clearly marked as retracted. The journal will avoid removing the article entirely unless removal is required for legal or exceptional circumstances.
Erratum
An erratum is used to correct an error introduced during the editorial, typesetting, or production process.
Where a significant production error is identified after publication, IJTM may publish an erratum or update the online article as appropriate. Corrections will be made in a transparent manner so that the original publication record and the correction remain clearly connected.
Corrigendum
A corrigendum is a correction arising from an error or omission attributable to the authors.
IJTM may publish a corrigendum when an author-identified error has a meaningful effect on the accuracy, interpretation, or reproducibility of the published work. Changes to authorship, affiliations, acknowledgements, funding information, or other published information will be evaluated carefully and may require supporting documentation or confirmation from all relevant authors.
Minor issues that do not affect the scientific record may not require a formal corrigendum.
Expression of Concern
An Expression of Concern may be published when serious questions have been raised about a published article but the available evidence is not yet sufficient to justify a correction or retraction.
An Expression of Concern may be considered when:
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There is credible but inconclusive evidence of possible research or publication misconduct.
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The reliability of the findings has been questioned and an investigation is pending.
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A relevant institution or authority has not completed an investigation within a reasonable period.
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There are significant unresolved ethical or methodological concerns that may affect interpretation of the article.
An Expression of Concern does not itself constitute a finding of misconduct. If further investigation establishes that corrective action is required, IJTM may subsequently publish a correction, corrigendum, or retraction.
Editorial Independence and Fair Process
All correction, retraction, and integrity-related decisions will be made objectively and independently of commercial considerations. Authors will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to substantive concerns, and the journal will consider relevant evidence before taking action.
IJTM aims to preserve the integrity of the published scholarly record while ensuring that authors, readers, reviewers, and other concerned parties are treated fairly and respectfully.
