Occasionally, adjustments may be necessary to the Version of Record (VoR) of a published article, that is, the article published in its final form. Except for minor errors, any essential changes will be accompanied by a post-publication notice permanently linked to the original article. These changes may take the form of a “correction notice,” an “expression of concern,” a “retraction,” or in rare cases, a “removal.”

The primary aim of linking post-publication notices to the original article is to promote transparency regarding any alterations and uphold the credibility of the scholarly record. It is important to note that all post-publication notices are freely accessible from the time of publication. 

Corrections

Authors are encouraged to promptly inform the editor if they discover errors in their published article, particularly those that could impact data interpretation or the reliability of the information provided. In the case of two or several authors, the corresponding author holds the responsibility of ensuring agreement among all co-authors before initiating any correction requests for an article.

When an error or omission is identified in an article that could impact its interpretation, a “Correction notice” will be issued, which aims to rectify the error while preserving the scholarly integrity and original findings of the article.

Ideally, a correction notice should be collaboratively written and approved by all authors of the original article. In rare cases where corrections are necessary due to publication errors, in esse may proceed without direct author input, but efforts will be made to inform the authors of such actions.

Requests for corrections may undergo a thorough review process, and additional information may be required to approve the correction if queries arise.

For major errors, that is, errors that affect interpretation but maintain scholarly integrity, a separate correction notice will be issued, which will be linked to the corrected version of the article, accompanied by a footnote. Minor errors, which do not impact reliability or understanding, may be addressed with a footnote in the article.

Retractions

If a significant error, such as in methods or analysis, invalidates the article’s conclusions, or if there are indications of research or publication misconduct (e.g., ethical approval issues, data fabrication, image manipulation, plagiarism, duplicate publication, etc.), a “Retraction notice” will be issued.

Retractions are intended to correct the academic record and do not imply punitive measures against the authors. Retractions may be considered in various circumstances, including unreliable findings due to misconduct or error, plagiarism, redundant publication, compromised peer review, unethical research, or fraudulent information submission.

Upon retracting an article, in esse will add a notification link (“Retracted”) to the published Version of Record, which contains a separate retraction statement.

Expressions of concern 

In situations where serious concerns, such as research or publication misconduct, have been raised but the investigation remains inconclusive or prolonged due to external factors, an “Expression of concern” may be issued to temporarily notify that investigations are ongoing and may not be immediately resolved.

An “Expression of concern” notice is issued when there are uncertainties regarding research integrity or misconduct, limited cooperation in investigations, or delays in reaching conclusive outcomes. These notices alert readers to potential issues while investigations continue.

Expressions of concern are linked to the relevant published article and may precede a “Retraction” or “Correction” notice once investigations are concluded. All notices remain part of the permanent publication record to maintain transparency and integrity in scholarly communication.

Removal of published articles

In exceptional cases where issues cannot be resolved through “Retraction” or “Correction” notices, an “Article removal” notice may be issued in its place. These very specific circumstances can be:

- The article includes content that could potentially cause significant harm if acted upon.

- The article violates the privacy rights of a study participant.

- The article is defamatory or infringes upon legal rights.

- There is a court order mandating the article’s removal.