Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Expressions of Concern

Process for Handling Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Expressions of Concern

KJMHS is committed to preserving the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. When concerns are raised about a published article, the editorial office will assess the case carefully and take appropriate action, which may include issuing a correction, retraction, or editorial expression of concern.

The journal follows recognized publication ethics principles, including guidance from COPE and ICMJE on correcting the scientific literature and handling concerns about published work. COPE guidance is widely used for retractions and expressions of concern, while ICMJE provides recommendations on publishing and editorial issues in medical journals.

Corrections

A correction may be issued when an article contains an error that affects the accuracy, interpretation, or clarity of the work, but does not invalidate the main findings or conclusions.

Examples include:

  • Author name or affiliation errors.
  • Minor data errors that do not alter conclusions.
  • Incorrect figure labels or table headings.
  • Missing acknowledgements or funding information.
  • Errors introduced during editing or production.

Corrections will be linked to the original article and clearly identified as correction notices.

Retractions

A retraction may be issued when the findings of an article are no longer reliable or when serious ethical or scientific problems are confirmed.

Reasons for retraction may include:

  • Fabrication or falsification of data.
  • Plagiarism.
  • Duplicate or redundant publication.
  • Major methodological or analytical errors.
  • Unethical research.
  • Lack of required ethics approval.
  • Manipulated images, figures, or data.
  • Serious authorship or peer-review manipulation.

Retracted articles will not be removed from the journal website except in exceptional legal or safety circumstances. The article will be clearly marked as retracted, and a retraction notice will explain the reason for retraction.

Editorial Expressions of Concern

An editorial expression of concern may be published when serious doubts exist about the integrity or reliability of an article, but the investigation is not yet complete or the evidence is inconclusive.

This may occur when:

  • An institution or author has not yet completed an investigation.
  • Evidence of misconduct is suspected but not confirmed.
  • There are unresolved concerns about data integrity, ethics approval, or authorship.
  • The editorial office needs to alert readers while maintaining fairness to the authors.

Investigation Process

When a concern is raised, the editorial office will:

  1. Acknowledge receipt of the concern.
  2. Conduct an initial assessment.
  3. Contact the corresponding author for clarification.
  4. Request original data, ethics approval, consent forms, or related documents where needed.
  5. Consult reviewers, editorial board members, or external experts if necessary.
  6. Contact the authors’ institution or ethics committee when appropriate.
  7. Decide whether no action, correction, expression of concern, or retraction is required.

Appeals and Author Response

Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond before a correction, retraction, or expression of concern is issued. However, the journal may proceed with editorial action when the integrity of the published record or public safety requires prompt action.

Transparency

All correction, retraction, and expression of concern notices will be clearly labeled, dated, linked to the original article, and made freely accessible. The purpose is to correct the literature, not to punish authors.