Withdrawal Policy

At Biomed Thought, we understand that there may be situations where authors need to withdraw their manuscript from the submission, review, or publication process. This Withdrawal Policy outlines the procedures, guidelines, and conditions for manuscript withdrawals to ensure fairness, transparency, and smooth processing.

1. Conditions for Withdrawal:

  • Before Peer Review: Authors are allowed to withdraw their manuscript at any time before it enters the peer review process without any penalty or charges. This is the simplest and most straightforward situation for withdrawal.

  • During Peer Review: Authors may withdraw their manuscript after it has entered the peer review process, but they must notify the editorial office promptly. If the manuscript has already been assigned to reviewers, withdrawal requests may be subject to the stage of review and administrative processes.

  • After Acceptance for Publication: Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, withdrawal becomes more complicated. Authors must provide a legitimate reason for the withdrawal, and such requests may be granted at the discretion of the editorial team, subject to payment of any incurred fees or costs.

  • Post-Publication: After an article is published (either online or in print), withdrawal is no longer possible. However, if issues such as ethical violations, authorship disputes, or errors in the publication are identified, authors may request a retraction rather than a withdrawal. Retractions will be handled in line with our Retraction Policy.

2. Procedure for Manuscript Withdrawal:

  • Requesting a Withdrawal: Authors who wish to withdraw their manuscript must submit a formal written request to the editorial office, stating the manuscript title, submission ID, and the reason for withdrawal. The request should be made via email or through the journal’s official communication channels.

  • Confirmation of Withdrawal: Upon receiving the withdrawal request, the editorial office will review it and confirm the decision to the author. If the manuscript has entered the peer review or editorial process, the request may take additional time to process.

  • No Refund Policy: In cases where a manuscript has entered the review or production stages, Biomed Thought typically does not issue a refund for any publication fees already paid.

3. Author Responsibilities:

  • Timeliness: Authors are expected to request the withdrawal as soon as they decide not to proceed with the submission, as delays in communicating the decision may inconvenience reviewers, editors, and other stakeholders involved in the process.

  • Ethical and Professional Conduct: Authors should ensure that withdrawal requests are made for professional reasons and avoid withdrawing manuscripts frivolously. Withdrawal requests may be denied if deemed unreasonable or if the manuscript was withdrawn due to conflicts with journal policies (e.g., dual submission).

  • Withdrawal During Peer Review: If the manuscript is under review and the author decides to withdraw it, the manuscript will be removed from the review process. However, the author must promptly inform the journal to avoid wasting reviewers’ time and effort.

4. Withdrawal After Acceptance:

  • Reason for Withdrawal: If the manuscript has been accepted but the author wishes to withdraw it, they must provide a detailed explanation for the withdrawal. Common reasons may include:

    • Ethical concerns
    • Errors in the manuscript that the author wishes to correct
    • Author’s inability to pay publication fees (if applicable)
    • Publication elsewhere

    Biomed Thought will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis and decide whether the manuscript will be withdrawn. The decision will consider the stage of the publishing process and the costs incurred up to that point.

  • Costs Incurred: If the manuscript has already been accepted, authors may be required to cover any administrative, production, or review costs that have been incurred. Withdrawal after acceptance will generally result in the manuscript being marked as withdrawn and will not be published.

5. Retraction Process:

  • Post-Publication Withdrawal: After publication, if an author wishes to retract their manuscript, they should contact the editorial office immediately. A retraction request will be processed according to the Retraction Policy and will require the author to provide a legitimate reason for the retraction.

  • Retraction Notice: In the case of a retraction, the journal will issue a retraction notice. The article will remain in the archive but will be clearly marked as retracted, with the reason for retraction provided.

6. Ethical Considerations for Withdrawal:

  • Dual Submissions: Authors must ensure that the manuscript is not simultaneously under review by another journal. If a manuscript is found to be submitted to Biomed Thought and another journal at the same time, the manuscript will be withdrawn from Biomed Thought, and the author may be banned from submitting future work to the journal.

  • Transparency: The journal expects full transparency from authors when withdrawing a manuscript. If the manuscript is being withdrawn due to ethical concerns, such as plagiarism or conflicts of interest, the journal reserves the right to investigate the issue further.

7. Handling of Withdrawal Requests:

  • Timeframe for Withdrawal: Upon receipt of the withdrawal request, the editorial team will assess the situation and notify the author of the decision within 5-7 business days. If the manuscript is in an advanced stage of processing, this timeline may extend depending on the stage of the process (e.g., if it is in production or awaiting final approval).

  • Communication: Authors must ensure that all communication related to withdrawal is clear and professional. Any failure to notify the journal promptly or failure to follow through on the process may lead to the manuscript being considered for rejection or retraction.