Withdrawal Policy

The Journal of Health, Medical Research and Innovations (JHMRI) aims to uphold the integrity and academic rigor of the research published within the journal. We understand that circumstances may arise where an author needs to withdraw a manuscript after submission or even after it has been accepted for publication. This policy outlines the procedures and conditions for manuscript withdrawal.

1. Withdrawal Prior to Submission Decision

  • Submission Process: If authors wish to withdraw their manuscript after submission but before a final decision has been made, they may do so by notifying the editorial team as soon as possible.

  • Procedure: Authors must formally request the withdrawal of their manuscript by contacting the editorial team through email. The request should include the manuscript title, submission ID, and a brief explanation for the withdrawal.

  • No Penalty: Authors are not penalized for withdrawing their manuscript at this stage, and the withdrawal process is typically straightforward.

2. Withdrawal After Peer Review

  • Post-Review Withdrawal: If an author wishes to withdraw their manuscript after it has gone through the peer review process but before a final decision (acceptance or rejection) has been made, they must formally notify the editorial office.

  • Procedure: Authors must send an email to the editorial team with the manuscript details and reason for withdrawal. The editorial team will inform the peer reviewers that the manuscript has been withdrawn, and no further action will be taken.

  • Reason for Withdrawal: It is advisable for authors to provide a clear explanation for withdrawing their manuscript at this stage. While there is no formal penalty for withdrawal, the editorial team may consider the reason for withdrawal when reviewing future submissions from the same author.

3. Withdrawal After Acceptance

  • Accepted Manuscripts: Once a manuscript has been formally accepted for publication, withdrawal becomes a more complex process. At this stage, the manuscript has typically gone through rigorous peer review and editing and is in the final stages of preparation for publication.

  • Conditions for Withdrawal: Authors wishing to withdraw a manuscript after acceptance must provide a valid reason for the withdrawal, such as:

    • Major ethical concerns or data issues.

    • Significant errors discovered post-acceptance.

    • Withdrawal due to personal or professional reasons.

  • Procedure: Authors must submit a formal withdrawal request to the editorial team via email. The request should explain the circumstances behind the withdrawal.

    • Notification to Reviewers and Editors: Once a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance, the editorial team will inform the reviewers, editors, and production team that the manuscript will no longer be published.

    • Penalty: In cases where a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance, authors may be asked to cover any costs incurred during the review, editing, and production process, especially if the manuscript has reached the final stages of publication. These costs will be communicated on a case-by-case basis.

4. Withdrawal After Publication

  • Post-Publication Withdrawal: Once an article has been officially published (either in an issue or as an online article), withdrawal is generally not permitted, as it may have already been disseminated to the public.

  • Corrections or Retraction: If there are significant issues with the article after publication (e.g., data falsification, plagiarism, or ethical concerns), authors can request a retraction rather than a withdrawal. Retraction will involve the publication of a statement in the journal, explaining the reason for the retraction. The article will be marked as retracted in the journal and on databases.

    • Retraction Procedure: Authors must submit a formal request to the editorial team, providing evidence for the reason behind the retraction. The journal will then assess the situation, and if retraction is deemed appropriate, the article will be removed from the online version and noted as retracted.

    • Ethical Considerations: The journal adheres to the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines for retraction. Articles may only be retracted in the event of serious issues that affect the article's integrity, such as falsified data, unethical research practices, or authorship disputes.

5. Author Responsibilities Upon Withdrawal

  • Communication with the Editorial Team: Authors are expected to communicate promptly and clearly with the editorial team if they wish to withdraw their manuscript at any stage. Timely communication helps avoid unnecessary delays and allows the editorial process to proceed efficiently.

  • Ethical Considerations: Authors must ensure that they are not withdrawing a manuscript to circumvent ethical issues, such as plagiarism or conflicts of interest. Any manuscript withdrawn due to ethical misconduct will be flagged, and the authors may face restrictions on future submissions.

6. Withdrawal of Manuscript from Multiple Journals

  • Multiple Submissions: Authors must ensure that the manuscript has not been submitted to any other journals simultaneously. If a manuscript is withdrawn after being accepted for publication or during the review process, and it has been submitted to another journal, this could be considered as a breach of academic integrity.

  • Ethical Integrity: JHMRI expects all authors to adhere to ethical guidelines, including the policy against submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals at the same time. Authors must disclose if their manuscript is under review elsewhere at the time of submission to JHMRI.

7. Summary of Key Points

  • Authors can withdraw their manuscript at any stage before final publication.

  • Withdrawal after acceptance requires valid justification, and the author may incur charges for incurred costs.

  • Withdrawal after publication is generally not allowed, but retraction may be considered if serious ethical issues arise.

  • Timely communication with the editorial team is essential for smooth withdrawal procedures.

  • Authors must ensure they adhere to ethical guidelines, including not submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals.