Corrections and Retractions

The Journal of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology is committed to maintaining an accurate, transparent, and trustworthy scholarly record. The journal recognizes that errors may occasionally be identified after publication and that, in serious cases, published articles may need to be corrected, withdrawn, or retracted.

The journal follows relevant principles and recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when handling corrections, retractions, Expressions of Concern, and other post-publication issues. ICMJE recommends that corrections be published promptly, linked to the original article, and that previous versions be preserved for transparency.

1. General Principle

The journal aims to preserve the integrity of the published scientific record while distinguishing between:

Honest and correctable errors.
Minor editorial or production errors.
Substantive errors affecting interpretation.
Ethical or research-integrity violations.
Errors serious enough to invalidate the results or conclusions.

Not every error requires retraction. The editorial response will depend on the nature, extent, and impact of the problem.

2. Corrections

A correction may be issued when an error is identified in a published article but the error does not invalidate the overall reliability of the research.

Examples may include:

Incorrect author information.
Incorrect affiliation.
Typographical errors affecting meaning.
Incorrect figures or tables that can be accurately corrected.
Errors in references.
Errors in data presentation that do not alter the overall conclusions.
Errors in funding or disclosure statements.
Other factual or production errors.

Honest errors are a normal part of scientific publishing and should be corrected when they affect the accuracy of the published record.

3. Correction Procedure

When a correction is necessary, the journal may:

Assess the reported error.
Contact the authors where appropriate.
Request supporting information or clarification.
Determine the significance of the error.
Publish a formal correction notice where necessary.
Link the correction directly to the original article.
Update the article version where appropriate.
Preserve the publication history and previous versions.

The correction notice should clearly identify the original article and explain the nature of the correction.

4. Minor Errors

Minor typographical, formatting, or production errors that do not affect the meaning, interpretation, or scientific reliability of an article may be corrected directly without issuing a formal correction notice, at the discretion of the Editorial Office.

Where an error could affect scientific interpretation, citation, indexing, author attribution, or the reliability of the published record, a formal correction notice should normally be considered.

5. Major Errors

A correction may be appropriate for substantial errors where the main findings, interpretation, and conclusions remain valid.

Examples may include significant:

Calculation errors.
Coding errors.
Data-labeling errors.
Figure or table errors.
Methodological descriptions.

Where the underlying research remains reliable, the journal may correct the article rather than retract it. ICMJE specifically recognizes that pervasive errors may still warrant correction when they do not change the direction or implications of the findings.

6. Retraction

Retraction is reserved for circumstances in which the reliability or integrity of a published article is seriously compromised.

An article may be considered for retraction when there is credible evidence of:

Fabricated data.
Falsified data or results.
Serious plagiarism.
Major ethical violations.
Unethical research involving human or animal participants.
Serious manipulation of images or research findings.
Duplicate or redundant publication that materially affects the scholarly record.
Serious undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Major methodological errors that invalidate the findings.
Other circumstances that make the published conclusions unreliable.

ICMJE states that retraction is generally appropriate where errors are serious enough to invalidate results and conclusions or where scientific misconduct has been established.

7. Retraction with Republication

In exceptional cases, an article containing a major honest error may be retracted and republished if:

The underlying science remains valid.
The error substantially changes the results, interpretation, or conclusions.
The corrected version passes appropriate editorial review.
Republication provides a more accurate scientific record.

The journal will clearly explain the reason for the retraction and republication and, where appropriate, document the changes made.

8. Retraction Notice

A retraction notice should:

Clearly identify the retracted article.
State that the article has been retracted.
Explain the reason for retraction.
Provide the complete citation of the original article.
Be permanently linked to the original article.
Remain part of the journal's public scholarly record.

ICMJE recommends that retractions be prominently labelled and that the original article and retraction notice be linked in both directions.

9. Retained Retracted Articles

A retracted article will generally remain accessible in the scholarly record, but it will be clearly labelled as RETRACTED.

The purpose is to maintain transparency and prevent readers from confusing a retracted publication with a valid article.

The journal will make reasonable efforts to ensure that the retracted status is visible in the article's:

Abstract.
Full text.
PDF.
Article webpage.
Bibliographic metadata.

This approach is consistent with ICMJE recommendations concerning preservation and clear identification of retracted publications.

10. Expression of Concern

Where credible concerns exist but an investigation has not yet reached a definitive conclusion, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern.

An Expression of Concern may be appropriate when:

Serious allegations are being investigated.
An institutional investigation is pending.
Important supporting evidence cannot yet be verified.
The reliability of the article is uncertain.

The Expression of Concern will remain linked to the relevant article and may subsequently be followed by a correction, retraction, or other editorial action.

11. Investigation of Post-Publication Concerns

Concerns may be raised by:

Authors.
Reviewers.
Editors.
Readers.
Researchers.
Institutions.
Other credible sources.

The Editorial Office will assess the concern and may request information from the authors or relevant institutions.

Where research misconduct is suspected, the journal may follow applicable COPE procedures and flowcharts and may contact the authors' institution or other appropriate authority.

12. Author-Initiated Corrections or Retractions

Authors should promptly notify the Editorial Office if they identify a material error in their published article.

A request for correction should include:

Article title.
DOI.
Description of the error.
Correct information.
Explanation of whether the error affects the findings or conclusions.

Authors may also alert the journal to circumstances that may require retraction.

The final decision regarding correction or retraction rests with the journal's editorial leadership following appropriate assessment.

13. Editorial Independence

Corrections and retractions are editorial decisions based on the integrity and reliability of the published record.

They are not influenced by:

Author seniority.
Institutional reputation.
Funding status.
Commercial interests.
Article processing charges.
Citation performance.
Personal relationships.

14. Version Control and Archiving

When an article is corrected, the journal will maintain an appropriate version history.

Where applicable:

The corrected version will be clearly identified.
The date of the correction will be recorded.
Previous versions will be archived.
The correction notice will be linked to the article.
Readers will be directed toward the most current version.

ICMJE recommends preserving prior versions and ensuring that previous electronic versions clearly indicate the availability of a newer version.

15. Corrections to Author Information

Changes involving authorship, author order, affiliations, or contributor information after publication will be considered carefully and may require written agreement from the affected authors and supporting documentation.

Where an authorship dispute cannot be resolved editorially, the journal may refer the matter to the relevant institution or research organization.

16. Retraction and Indexing

Where an article is retracted, the journal will make reasonable efforts to ensure that the retraction status is reflected in the article's digital record and relevant metadata.

The original article should remain linked to the retraction notice so that readers and indexing services can identify its status accurately.

17. Ethical and Research Misconduct Retractions

Where retraction results from research misconduct, the journal may also consider whether related publications by the same authors require further assessment.

ICMJE notes that, where scientific misconduct is established, editors may consider notifying relevant institutions and assessing the validity of other work where appropriate.

18. Commitment to the Scholarly Record

The objective of this policy is not to remove inconvenient research from the historical record, but to ensure that readers are clearly informed when a published article has been corrected, questioned, or retracted.

The Journal of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology is committed to maintaining a transparent and reliable scholarly record through timely corrections, clearly labelled retractions, appropriate Expressions of Concern, version control, and preservation of publication history.

The journal will review and update this policy as relevant COPE and ICMJE standards and best practices evolve. ICMJE's current Recommendations were updated in January 2026.