Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

Biomed Thought (BT) is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. When errors or misconduct are identified post-publication, we will take appropriate action based on COPE guidelines.

1. Corrections (Errata / Corrigenda)
A correction is issued when an error on the part of the author (corrigendum) or the journal (erratum) negatively impacts the interpretation of the work or is otherwise significant enough to warrant correction, but does not invalidate the entire work.

  • Procedure: A correction notice will be published as a separate, linked article. It will cite the original article and clearly describe the specific error and the correction made. The original article will remain online with a link to the correction notice.

2. Retractions
A retraction is issued when the findings are unreliable due to major error or research misconduct (e.g., data falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical research).

  • Procedure:

    • A retraction notice titled "Retraction: [Article Title]" signed by the authors and/or Editor will be published.

    • The retraction notice will state the reason for the retraction and who is responsible.

    • The online version of the article will be watermarked as "RETRACTED" on all PDF and HTML versions.

    • The retracted article remains online to preserve the scholarly record, but it is clearly marked as unreliable.

3. Expressions of Concern
An Expression of Concern is issued by the Editor when:

  • There is inconclusive evidence of misconduct, but serious concerns exist about the validity of the work.

  • An investigation into the validity of the work is underway but will take a substantial amount of time to conclude.

  • Authors or institutions fail to respond to inquiries regarding a potential ethical issue.

  • Procedure: The Expression of Concern will be published as a formal notice linked to the original article to alert readers that the reliability of the work is in question.

4. Initiation
These actions can be initiated by the Editor, MIND QUEST RESEARCH & EDUCATIONAL CENTER (SMC-PRIVATE) LIMITED, readers, or the authors' institution. The Journal follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines for the process and wording of all notices.

5. Finality
While a retraction is generally considered final, an Expression of Concern may be updated or replaced by a retraction or correction once an investigation is complete.