Corrections and Retractions

WAL'AFIAT HOSPITAL JOURNAL · EDITORIAL POLICY

Corrections and Retractions

Maintaining an accurate, transparent, and trustworthy scholarly record in medicine and healthcare.

CorrectionExpression of ConcernRetraction

Policy principle. WHJ evaluates credible concerns about published content and determines proportionate corrective action in accordance with publication ethics principles, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Actions are based on the reliability of the record, not intended to punish authors for honest errors.

01 · Available editorial actions

Correction (Erratum / Corrigendum)

Used for a material but limited error where the article's principal findings and conclusions remain reliable. The correction specifies what changed and is linked to the article.

Expression of Concern

May be issued if serious questions about an article remain unresolved while an investigation or verification is ongoing.

Retraction

Considered where findings are unreliable due to major errors, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, unethical research, duplicate publication, or other serious issues.

Other notices

Where appropriate, WHJ may publish clarification or editorial notices or update article metadata to ensure readers are properly informed.

02 · How concerns are reported

Authors, reviewers, readers, institutions, and other interested parties may notify WHJ of possible errors or integrity problems. Reports should contain:

The article title, journal issue, DOI or permanent URL.
A detailed description of the specific concern and why it matters.
Relevant documentation or verifiable evidence, when available.
The reporter's contact details and any relevant conflicts of interest.

Substantiated concerns are considered regardless of who reports them. Anonymous reports may also be assessed if accompanied by sufficient verifiable evidence.

03 · Assessment and decision-making

Record: The editorial office records the concern and examines the available documentation.
Review: The editor assesses its seriousness, including potential effects on the reliability of conclusions and patient safety.
Clarification: Authors may be asked for explanations, source data, ethics approvals, or other relevant documents.
Independent advice: Subject experts or research-integrity authorities may be consulted; institutions may be contacted where appropriate.
Decision: The editor determines whether no public action, a correction, an expression of concern, or retraction is necessary.
Notification and record: Where an article notice is published, WHJ aims to make it accessible and clearly linked to the original record.

04 · Publication and preservation of notices

Correction and retraction notices should identify the affected article and explain the basis for the action without unnecessary disclosure of sensitive personal information. When an article is retracted, the original publication will ordinarily remain accessible but be clearly marked as retracted, to preserve the scholarly record. Article landing pages and bibliographic metadata should be updated as feasible.

A retraction does not imply that all authors necessarily engaged in misconduct. WHJ considers relevant evidence and author responses when describing the reason for an action.

05 · Withdrawal before publication

Requests to withdraw an unpublished manuscript should be sent by the corresponding author through the OJS submission discussion or editorial contact. The editorial team will confirm the submission's status and any matters requiring resolution. Withdrawal of a manuscript before publication is distinct from retraction of a published article.

Clinical and patient-safety considerations: Serious concerns that could affect patient care should be assessed promptly. The journal may take appropriate interim steps when credible information indicates potential harm.