Article Withdrawal & Retraction Policy for International Medical Journal of Health (IMJH)
Important Notice on Article Withdrawal
Withdrawal is free only if the article is not published. Once published, a $200 withdrawal fee applies. The journal is not responsible if anyone has used the article elsewhere.
Policy Summary
This policy outlines the procedures, conditions, and fees for article withdrawal at different stages of the publication process. All withdrawal requests must follow formal procedures.
View withdrawal procedures →Policy Navigation
1. Policy Overview & Principles
Guiding Principles
This Article Withdrawal Policy establishes clear guidelines for manuscript withdrawal at different stages of the publication process. The policy is based on COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines and ensures transparency, fairness, and accountability in withdrawal procedures.
Core Principles
- Transparency: Clear procedures and requirements
- Fairness: Consistent application to all authors
- Accountability: Authors responsible for decisions
- Integrity: Protection of scientific record
COPE Compliance
- COPE Guidelines: Full compliance with international standards
- Ethical Framework: Based on publication ethics
- Retraction Guidelines: Following COPE retraction guidelines
- Transparency: Clear communication of changes
2. Types of Article Withdrawal
Important Distinction
Different types of withdrawal apply depending on the stage of publication and the reason for withdrawal. Fees and procedures vary accordingly.
Pre-Publication Withdrawal
Withdrawal before the article is officially published in an issue.
Fee:
Free withdrawal
Post-Publication Withdrawal
Withdrawal after the article has been published in an issue.
Fee:
Mandatory processing fee
Retraction
Formal retraction due to ethical violations or serious errors.
Fee:
Plus possible additional sanctions
Comparison of Withdrawal Types
| Type | Timing | Fee | Publication Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Publication Withdrawal | Before official publication | $0 | Article not yet published in issue |
| Post-Publication Withdrawal | After official publication | $200 | Article published in an issue |
| Retraction | Any time after publication | $200 | Article remains with retraction notice |
| Correction | Any time after publication | Case by case | Article corrected, not withdrawn |
3. Withdrawal Procedures by Publication Stage
Publication Process Stages
The publication fee and withdrawal procedures vary depending on the stage at which withdrawal is requested. Early withdrawal is strongly encouraged to avoid fees.
Publication Timeline & Withdrawal Points
Free Withdrawal Stages
- Submission Stage: Before editorial review begins
- Under Review: During peer review process
- Revision Stage: When revisions are requested
- Accepted Stage: After acceptance but before publication
- Proof Stage: During proofreading phase
Fee-Required Stages
- Published Online: Article published on journal website
- Issue Publication: Included in a journal issue
- Indexed: Article indexed in databases
- Archived: In permanent digital archives
- Cited: Article cited by other researchers
4. Withdrawal Fee Structure
Fee Policy Statement
Withdrawal is free only if the article is not published. Once published, a $200 withdrawal fee applies to cover administrative and technical costs of withdrawal processing.
Free Withdrawal (Pre-Publication)
No charges apply
Covered Costs:
- Administrative processing
- System updates
- Author notification
- Record keeping
Conditions:
Article must not be published in any form (online or print). Withdrawal request must come from corresponding author.
Fee-Based Withdrawal (Post-Publication)
Processing fee required
Costs Covered:
- Database updates and notifications
- Indexing service notifications
- Website and archive modifications
- Citation database updates
- Legal and administrative processing
- Withdrawal notice publication
Payment Terms:
Fee must be paid before withdrawal processing begins. Payment is non-refundable once processing starts.
Fee Details & Payment Information
Payment Methods:
- Bank Transfer: Direct bank transfer (details provided upon request)
- Online Payment: Secure online payment portal
- Credit Card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
- PayPal: PayPal payments accepted
- Wire Transfer: International wire transfers
Payment Process:
- Submit formal withdrawal request
- Receive fee invoice with payment instructions
- Complete payment within 14 days
- Send payment confirmation
- Withdrawal processing begins (5-7 business days)
- Receive confirmation of withdrawal completion
5. Formal Withdrawal Procedures
Required Procedures
All withdrawal requests must follow formal procedures to be considered valid. Informal requests (email, phone calls) will not be processed without formal documentation.
Withdrawal Request Process
Formal Request
Submit signed withdrawal request form
Editorial Review
Editorial office reviews the request
Fee Assessment
Determine applicable fee (if any)
Processing
Withdrawal processed upon completion
Required Documentation
Mandatory Documents:
- Withdrawal Request Form: Completed and signed
- Author Agreement: All authors must agree to withdrawal
- Reason Statement: Detailed reason for withdrawal
- Corresponding Author ID: Proof of identity
- Manuscript Details: Title, authors, manuscript ID
Additional Documents (if applicable):
- Institutional Approval: For institution-required withdrawals
- Legal Documentation: Court orders or legal requirements
- Ethical Documentation: Ethics committee decisions
- Conflict Documentation: Conflict of interest disclosures
- Payment Confirmation: For post-publication withdrawals
Withdrawal Request Submission
Submit Withdrawal Request To:
Email: info@imjhealth.org
Subject Line: "Withdrawal Request: [Manuscript ID]"
Required: All documents must be PDF format
Withdrawal Request Form Must Include:
1. Manuscript title and ID number
2. All author names and signatures
3. Detailed reason for withdrawal
4. Corresponding author contact information
5. Declaration of agreement from all authors
6. Date of request and expected timeline
Download Forms
Required forms for withdrawal requests:
6. Valid Grounds for Withdrawal
Acceptable Reasons for Withdrawal
Withdrawal requests are evaluated based on the validity of the grounds provided. Some reasons are automatically accepted, while others require review.
Automatically Accepted Grounds
- Duplicate Submission: Article submitted elsewhere
- Author Disagreement: Authors cannot agree on publication
- Methodological Errors: Serious errors discovered pre-publication
- Ethical Violations: Discovered before publication
- Copyright Issues: Unresolvable copyright problems
- Legal Requirements: Court orders or legal restrictions
Grounds Requiring Review
- Change of Mind: Authors decide not to publish
- Institutional Pressure: Institution requests withdrawal
- Career Considerations: Author career changes
- Publication Timing: Delays in publication process
- Funding Issues: Loss of funding for publication
- Personal Reasons: Author personal circumstances
Invalid Grounds for Withdrawal
Not Valid Grounds:
- Disagreement with reviewer comments
- Desire to submit to a "higher impact" journal
- Change in author affiliation only
- Minor corrections that could be addressed via errata
- Authors' regret about content after publication
- Commercial pressures from sponsors
Special Considerations:
- Post-publication discovery of minor errors → Correction, not withdrawal
- Authorship disputes after publication → Correction, not withdrawal
- Funding acknowledgement errors → Correction, not withdrawal
- Conflict of interest disclosures → Correction, not withdrawal
- Contact information changes → Update, not withdrawal
7. Consequences of Article Withdrawal
Important Consequences to Consider
Withdrawal has significant consequences for authors, readers, and the scientific record. These consequences should be carefully considered before requesting withdrawal.
Consequences for Authors
- Publication Record: Gap in publication history
- Financial Cost: $200 fee for published articles
- Time Investment: Lost time on review and revision
- Reputation Impact: Multiple withdrawals may affect credibility
- Future Submissions: May affect future submissions to IMJH
- Citation Loss: Loss of potential citations
Consequences for Scientific Community
- Scientific Record: Disruption of scientific continuity
- Reader Confusion: Readers may have already cited the article
- Resource Waste: Waste of reviewer and editor time
- Database Integrity: Challenges for database management
- Citation Chains: Broken citation chains in literature
- Research Integrity: Potential impact on research integrity
Withdrawal vs. Retraction: Key Differences
| Aspect | Withdrawal | Retraction |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Author-initiated removal of article | Journal-initiated removal due to serious issues |
| Fee | $200 if published, free if not published | $200 always applies |
| Record Keeping | Article removed, notice may be published | Article remains with retraction notice |
| Citation Impact | Citations may become invalid | Citations should reference retracted status |
| Author Consequences | Financial cost, time loss | Serious reputation damage, possible sanctions |
| Common Reasons | Author decision, errors, duplication | Fraud, plagiarism, ethical violations |
8. Journal Responsibility Disclaimer
Critical Disclaimer
The International Medical Journal of Health (IMJH) is not responsible if anyone has used the article anywhere before or after withdrawal. Authors assume full responsibility for the consequences of withdrawal.
Journal Non-Responsibility
- Prior Use: Not responsible for article use before withdrawal
- Post-Withdrawal Use: Not responsible for use after withdrawal
- Citation Issues: Not responsible for citation problems
- Database Records: Not responsible for database entries
- Third-Party Use: Not responsible for third-party use
- Legal Issues: Not responsible for legal consequences
Author Responsibilities
- Due Diligence: Authors must consider consequences
- Notification: Authors should notify users of withdrawal
- Citation Management: Authors manage citation issues
- Legal Compliance: Authors ensure legal compliance
- Ethical Considerations: Authors consider ethical implications
- Financial Responsibility: Authors pay applicable fees
Limitations of Article Withdrawal
What Withdrawal Cannot Do:
- Remove article from all internet archives
- Delete citations in published works
- Remove references in other publications
- Eliminate printed copies already distributed
- Remove from library collections
- Delete from personal archives of readers
- Remove from citation databases immediately
- Eliminate references in grant applications
Permanent Records That May Remain:
- Internet Archive (Wayback Machine)
- Library of Congress archives
- University library collections
- Citation databases (PubMed, Scopus, etc.)
- Personal researcher archives
- Conference presentation materials
- Thesis and dissertation references
- Grant application records
9. Appeals & Dispute Resolution
Appeals Process
Authors may appeal withdrawal decisions or dispute withdrawal-related issues through a formal appeals process. This process ensures fair treatment and due process.
Grounds for Appeal
- Procedural Error: Failure to follow proper procedures
- Fee Disputes: Disagreement about applicable fees
- Timing Issues: Disputes about publication status
- Grounds Rejection: Disagreement with grounds assessment
- Processing Delays: Unreasonable processing delays
- Communication Issues: Failure of communication
Appeals Process Steps
Appeal Submission Procedure
Required Appeal Documentation:
- Formal appeal letter with detailed reasoning
- Supporting evidence and documentation
- Original withdrawal request and correspondence
- Author agreement on appeal submission
- Contact information for all parties
- Desired resolution outcome
Submit Appeals To:
Email: info@imjhealth.org
Subject Line: "Withdrawal Appeal: [Manuscript ID]"
Time Limit: Must be submitted within 30 days of decision
Appeal Committee:
Appeals are reviewed by an independent editorial committee not involved in the original decision.
10. Contact Information & Support
Withdrawal Support Contact
For Withdrawal Questions & Requests:
Primary contact for all withdrawal inquiries
Response Time:
Within 48 hours for inquiries, 5-7 days for formal requests
Fee & Payment Contact
Payment Support:
Available Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (GMT)
Related Policies
Complementary Policies:
External Resources
Helpful External Links:
Editorial Support
Our withdrawal support team is available to help authors understand withdrawal procedures, assess applicable fees, and navigate the withdrawal process. We encourage authors to contact us with questions before submitting formal withdrawal requests to ensure understanding of consequences and requirements.
Important Final Notice
Critical Reminders:
- ⚠️ Withdrawal is free ONLY if article is not published
- ⚠️ $200 fee applies once article is published
- ⚠️ Journal is NOT responsible if anyone used the article anywhere
- ⚠️ Complete removal from all platforms is impossible
- ⚠️ Authors assume all responsibility for consequences
- ⚠️ Consider alternatives to withdrawal when possible
Policy Version Information
Version 2.0 | Last Updated: January 15, 2024 | Based on COPE Guidelines