Correction, Retraction, and Withdrawal Policy

Pharmademica is committed to maintaining the integrity, accuracy, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record. This policy establishes procedures for correcting published articles, retracting articles that contain serious errors or involve violations of publication ethics, and withdrawing manuscripts before publication. The policy is guided by the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other applicable scholarly publishing standards.

1. Objectives

The objectives of this policy are to:

1. Maintain the quality, originality, and credibility of articles published in Pharmademica.
2. Protect readers, researchers, healthcare professionals, and the scientific community from inaccurate, misleading, or unreliable research findings.
3. Ensure that editorial decisions concerning corrections, retractions, and withdrawals are fair, objective, transparent, and consistent.
4. Uphold publication ethics and strengthen confidence in the journal's editorial practices.

2. Retraction Policy

Retraction is a formal action taken to withdraw a published article from the accepted body of scientific literature when its findings are unreliable or when serious violations of publication ethics have occurred. Retraction is intended to correct the scholarly record and alert readers to publications that should not be relied upon.

2.1. Grounds for Retraction

Pharmademica may retract a published article when there is clear evidence of one or more of the following:

1. Significant plagiarism or unauthorized appropriation of another person's work.
2. Duplicate or redundant publication without appropriate disclosure or justification.
3. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of research data, images, results, or other research materials.
4. Serious violations of research ethics, including falsified ethical approval, invalid informed consent where required, or other significant breaches of applicable ethical requirements.
5. Major errors in data, analysis, or interpretation that render the article's findings unreliable.
6. Undisclosed conflicts of interest or other forms of misconduct that substantially compromise the integrity or credibility of the research.
7. Other serious breaches of publication ethics that warrant retraction in accordance with established ethical guidelines.

Similarity-checking results may be considered as part of an investigation into potential plagiarism. However, a similarity percentage alone does not automatically justify retraction; the nature, extent, and context of the overlap must be assessed by the editorial team.

2.2. Retraction Procedure

When concerns arise regarding a published article, Pharmademica will follow a fair and transparent procedure:

1. The Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor will conduct a preliminary assessment of the reported concerns.
2. The authors will be contacted and given a reasonable opportunity to provide an explanation, supporting evidence, or a response to the allegations.
3. Where necessary, the journal may seek advice from independent experts, peer reviewers, relevant institutions, or research ethics committees.
4. Based on the available evidence, the editorial team will determine whether a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction is appropriate.
5. If retraction is warranted, Pharmademica will publish a clearly identifiable retraction notice stating the article's title, authors, original publication details, date of retraction, and the reasons for the decision. The notice will distinguish between author-initiated and editor-initiated retractions where applicable.
6. The original article will normally remain accessible to preserve the scholarly record and will be clearly marked as "Retracted" on the article webpage and PDF. The retraction notice will be linked to the original article, and the original article will link to the notice.

Retraction decisions will be based on the available evidence and applicable publication ethics standards. The journal will not delay necessary action solely because an author or institution does not respond or disagrees with the decision.

2.3. Consequences of Retraction

A retracted article remains part of the historical scholarly record but should not be regarded as a reliable source of research findings unless specific elements are explicitly identified as reliable in the retraction notice.

Depending on the seriousness and circumstances of the case, Pharmademica may take additional measures in accordance with its editorial policies, including notifying the authors' affiliated institutions or relevant authorities when appropriate. Restrictions on future submissions may be considered in serious cases of proven misconduct, provided that the decision is proportionate, justified, and communicated to the affected authors.

3. Withdrawal Policy

Withdrawal refers to the formal removal of a manuscript from the editorial process before its final publication. Pharmademica recognizes that withdrawal may occasionally be necessary for legitimate scientific, ethical, or administrative reasons.

3.1. Grounds for Withdrawal

Authors may request withdrawal when there are valid reasons, including:

1. The discovery of serious errors in the manuscript that cannot be adequately corrected at the current stage.
2. The identification of ethical or legal concerns that prevent the manuscript from proceeding.
3. Other substantial and justified circumstances that warrant discontinuation of the submission.

Withdrawal requests should be submitted by the corresponding author to the Editor-in-Chief or through the journal's designated editorial system. The request must include the manuscript title, submission identification number, reasons for withdrawal, and confirmation that all co-authors have been informed and agree to the request.

3.2. Withdrawal Procedure and Restrictions

The Editor-in-Chief will assess each withdrawal request and determine whether it can be approved. If approved, the manuscript's status will be updated to "Withdrawn" in the editorial system, and the corresponding author will be notified.

Withdrawal requests are generally easier to accommodate before peer review has begun. Requests submitted after peer review has been completed or after acceptance will be subject to careful editorial assessment. Acceptance of a manuscript does not automatically entitle authors to withdraw it without explanation or editorial approval.

Authors may not withdraw a manuscript solely to submit it to another journal while it remains under consideration by Pharmademica. Submitting the same manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals is not permitted.

Any proposed administrative fee or restriction on future submissions arising from an unauthorized withdrawal must be clearly established in the journal's published policies, communicated in advance, and applied consistently and fairly. Such measures will not replace an assessment of the circumstances and applicable publication ethics requirements.

Once an article has been formally published, the matter will be handled under the correction or retraction policy rather than the pre-publication withdrawal procedure.

4. Correction Policy

Pharmademica recognizes that errors may occasionally be identified after publication. When an error is confirmed, the journal will determine the appropriate action based on its nature, significance, and potential effect on the interpretation or reliability of the article.

4.1. Minor Corrections

Minor errors that do not affect the scientific validity or interpretation of an article may be addressed through a correction notice or an appropriate editorial correction. Examples include typographical errors, formatting mistakes, and certain errors in author names, affiliations, or other bibliographic information.

4.2. Major Corrections

Errors that affect the interpretation, accuracy, or reliability of an article will be evaluated carefully. Where the findings remain reliable after correction, Pharmademica may publish a formal correction notice describing the error and the necessary amendments. If the errors invalidate the main findings or otherwise meet the criteria for retraction, the journal may retract the article instead.

4.3. Correction Procedure

Requests for corrections may be submitted by authors, readers, or other concerned parties. The editorial team will assess the request, consult the authors or relevant experts when necessary, and determine the appropriate action.

A correction notice will clearly identify the original article, describe the error and its correction, and provide the publication date of the notice. The notice will be linked to the original article to ensure transparency and traceability. The journal will maintain the original publication record and document substantive changes in accordance with its editorial procedures.

5. Editorial Responsibility and Transparency

All decisions concerning corrections, retractions, and withdrawals will be handled by the Editor-in-Chief and the editorial team in accordance with the principles of fairness, confidentiality, impartiality, and publication ethics.

Pharmademica will assess concerns objectively, provide relevant parties with an appropriate opportunity to respond, and take action proportionate to the evidence available. The journal may consult independent experts or relevant institutions when necessary to establish the facts.

The journal is committed to ensuring that corrections, retractions, and withdrawals are documented transparently and communicated appropriately to protect readers and preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

6. Policy Review

Pharmademica will periodically review this policy to ensure that it remains consistent with current publication ethics standards, applicable regulations, and recognized best practices in scholarly publishing. The journal aims to foster responsible research, ethical publishing practices, and public confidence in the scientific literature.