Qubahan Journal of Medical Sciences (QJMS) is committed to maintaining the integrity, accuracy, transparency, ethical standards, and reliability of the scholarly record. The journal follows the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in addressing concerns about published research and determining when corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions are necessary.

1. Grounds for Retraction

A published article may be retracted when there is clear evidence that its findings or conclusions are unreliable due to research misconduct, serious methodological errors, or honest mistakes that substantially affect the validity of the work.

Retractions may be considered in the following circumstances:

• Data Fabrication or Falsification: Fabrication, manipulation, or misrepresentation of clinical data, patient records, laboratory results, medical images, experimental findings, or statistical analyses.

• Plagiarism: Substantial unauthorized reproduction of another person's work, ideas, methods, clinical findings, or research results without appropriate acknowledgment.

• Duplicate or Redundant Publication: Publication of substantially identical research findings in multiple journals without appropriate disclosure or justification.

• Unethical Research Practices: Serious violations of applicable research ethics, including the absence of required institutional review board (IRB) approval, ethics committee authorization, informed consent, or appropriate safeguards for human participants and experimental animals.

• Copyright Infringement: Unauthorized use of copyrighted text, medical images, figures, clinical assessment instruments, datasets, or other protected materials.

• Major Methodological or Analytical Errors: Significant errors in clinical trial design, diagnostic assessments, laboratory procedures, epidemiological analyses, statistical calculations, or interpretation of medical findings that invalidate the research conclusions.

• Authorship and Publication Misconduct: Serious authorship misrepresentation, fraudulent attribution, or unresolved disputes involving evidence that compromises the integrity of the published article.

• Peer Review Manipulation: Evidence of fraudulent peer review, fabricated reviewer identities, or improper interference with the editorial decision-making process.

• Misrepresentation of Research Findings: Deliberate or substantially misleading reporting of findings concerning medicine, clinical sciences, biomedical research, public health, nursing, pharmacy, rehabilitation, or related interdisciplinary medical fields.

• Clinical Trial Registration Violations: Serious undisclosed or misleading irregularities involving clinical trial registration, research protocols, or reporting that compromise the reliability or ethical integrity of the published research.

2. Retraction Decision Process

Retraction decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the Editorial Board, relevant medical specialists, and research ethics experts when necessary, in accordance with COPE recommendations.

Before a final decision is made:

• The journal will conduct an appropriate investigation into the reported concerns.

• The corresponding author and, where appropriate, all co-authors will normally be contacted and given an opportunity to respond.

• Supporting evidence, original research data, clinical trial documentation, ethics committee approvals, research protocols, methodological explanations, or other relevant materials may be requested, subject to applicable patient confidentiality and data protection requirements.

• Relevant academic institutions, hospitals, research organizations, ethics committees, regulatory authorities, or funding bodies may be contacted when independent investigation is required.

• The final decision will be based on the available evidence, applicable ethical standards, and the need to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

A retraction may proceed even if the authors disagree with the decision or fail to respond, provided that sufficient evidence supports the action.

3. Retraction Notice and Publication

When an article is retracted, QJMS will publish a formal retraction notice that:

• Clearly identifies the retracted article, including its title, authors, publication details, and DOI.

• Explains the reason or reasons for the retraction in a transparent and factual manner without unnecessarily disclosing confidential information.

• Identifies who is retracting the article and, where appropriate, whether the authors agree with the retraction.

• Is published promptly following the final editorial decision.

• Remains permanently accessible as part of the scholarly record.

• Is electronically linked to the original article.

• Is made freely accessible without subscription or payment.

The original article will normally remain available on the journal's website to preserve the scholarly record but will be clearly marked "Retracted" on its pages and in its associated metadata.

The journal will update relevant indexing services and DOI metadata, where technically supported, to reflect the retraction status.

4. Corrections and Expressions of Concern

When errors do not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions of a published article, QJMS may issue a formal correction (Erratum or Corrigendum) rather than retracting the publication.

An Expression of Concern may be published when credible evidence raises serious questions about the integrity or reliability of an article but an investigation remains incomplete or the available evidence is inconclusive.

Where published findings may pose risks to patient safety, clinical practice, or public health, the journal will prioritize timely assessment and appropriate communication of the concerns.

All corrections and expressions of concern will be clearly identified, permanently accessible, and electronically linked to the relevant published article.

5. Article Removal

Complete removal of a published article will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as legal requirements, serious violations of patient privacy, substantial risks to public health or safety, or other compelling reasons that cannot be adequately addressed through retraction.

Particular consideration will be given to protecting patients, clinical trial participants, children, and vulnerable populations, especially in studies involving identifiable medical records, diagnostic images, genetic information, or confidential health data.

Where possible, the journal will retain bibliographic information and publish a notice explaining the removal.

6. Compliance with Publication Ethics

Qubahan Journal of Medical Sciences applies this policy consistently and fairly to all published articles, regardless of the authors' affiliations, academic positions, nationality, institutional relationships, or funding sources.

The journal is committed to academic freedom, editorial independence, responsible medical research, patient safety, confidentiality, research integrity, and the protection of human and animal research participants.

QJMS seeks to maintain the accuracy, accessibility, credibility, and permanence of scholarly research in medicine, clinical sciences, biomedical sciences, public health, nursing, pharmacy, rehabilitation, healthcare, and related interdisciplinary medical fields.

This policy is based on the recommendations and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including its guidance on retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern.