Corrections, Expressions of Concern & Retractions Policy

BMB recognizes that significant errors, misleading information, and publication integrity concerns may be identified after an article has been published. Authors, editors, reviewers, readers, and other concerned parties are encouraged to report such matters to the Editorial Board.

All reports will be assessed fairly, objectively, and confidentially where appropriate. The journal will consider the available evidence, the seriousness of the concern, the reliability of the published findings, and the implications for the scholarly record.

Depending on the circumstances, BMB may publish a correction, an expression of concern, a retraction, or another appropriate editorial notice. These actions are distinct and will be selected according to the nature of the issue and the evidence available.

Authors who discover significant errors in their published work should promptly notify the BMB Editorial Board and cooperate with the assessment and correction process. Readers, researchers, and other concerned parties may also report suspected errors or publication integrity concerns.

Reports should provide as much of the following information as possible:

• The title and authors of the published article.
• The DOI or direct publication link, if available.
• A clear description of the error or concern.
• Supporting evidence, relevant data, documents, or references, where available.
• Contact details for follow-up, where the reporter is willing to provide them.

BMB may publish a correction when an article contains an error that requires amendment but does not invalidate the reliability of its principal findings or conclusions.

Examples may include:

• Errors in text, tables, figures, data presentation, or references.
• Incorrect author or contributor information when a correction is supported by appropriate evidence.
• Omitted funding acknowledgements or relevant declarations that need to be added or amended.
• Other material inaccuracies that can be corrected without requiring retraction of the article.

A correction notice will identify the original article, describe the error and the amendment, and explain the correction where necessary. The notice will be publicly accessible and linked to the original publication. Relevant versions and metadata will be updated where technically feasible.

Material corrections will not be introduced silently. Minor typographical or formatting changes that do not affect meaning may be handled according to the journal's production practices, provided that the integrity of the published record is maintained.

BMB may retract a published article when there is sufficient evidence that its findings or conclusions are unreliable or that serious publication integrity issues warrant retraction.

Grounds for considering retraction may include:

• Major methodological, analytical, or other errors that invalidate the findings or conclusions.
• Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data or images that compromises reliability.
• Plagiarism or redundant publication that seriously undermines the integrity of the article.
• Unethical research or use of material without appropriate authorization where the issue warrants retraction.
• Compromised or manipulated peer review that undermines confidence in the publication process.
• Failure to disclose a major competing interest where the editor determines that it seriously affected the interpretation or assessment of the work.

The responsible editor makes the final editorial decision after appropriate assessment. Retraction may proceed even if one or more authors disagree, where the evidence supports that decision. The journal will not delay necessary action solely because an author is uncooperative.

A retraction notice will be clearly labelled, freely accessible, linked to the original article, and published as promptly as reasonably possible. It will identify the article, state the reason for retraction, and identify who is retracting it. The explanation will be factual and proportionate to the evidence.

The original article will normally remain accessible and be clearly marked as retracted. Its metadata and links will be retained where technically feasible to preserve the scholarly record.

BMB may issue an expression of concern when serious questions arise about the reliability or integrity of a published article but the available evidence is inconclusive or a relevant investigation is ongoing and a final determination is not expected promptly.

An expression of concern may also be considered when a relevant institution does not investigate a credible allegation, when an investigation appears inconclusive or significantly delayed, or when there is insufficient evidence to justify immediate retraction but readers should be informed of the unresolved concern.

The notice will identify the affected article, explain the nature of the concern and its current status, and be clearly linked to the original publication. It is intended to inform readers and should not be presented as a final finding of misconduct.

BMB will review the matter when further evidence becomes available. The expression of concern may be followed by a correction, retraction, or another appropriate notice. Where the concern is resolved and the findings are considered reliable, the journal may publish an appropriate update explaining the outcome.

BMB is committed to maintaining a transparent and traceable record of editorial actions affecting published articles.

• Correction, expression of concern, and retraction notices will be clearly labelled and freely accessible.
• Notices will identify and link to the affected article wherever technically feasible.
• Relevant article versions, metadata, and indexing records will be updated where possible.
• Editorial assessments, supporting evidence, and decisions will be documented and retained securely, subject to confidentiality and applicable requirements.
• Editorial decisions will be based on evidence and the reliability of the scholarly record, independently of commercial or personal pressure.

BMB does not routinely remove published articles in response to errors or research misconduct. Retraction is normally implemented through a clearly labelled notice while the original article remains accessible.

Removal of the full article may be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as a legal requirement, a serious privacy violation, defamatory content, or a substantial risk of harm. Where removal is necessary, BMB will preserve relevant metadata where possible and provide an explanation of the action, subject to applicable legal restrictions.

This policy is informed primarily by the following guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE):

• COPE Retraction Guidelines — guidance on when to retract an article, the content of retraction notices, editorial responsibility, and the handling of inconclusive evidence.
• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) — official resources on publication ethics, corrections, expressions of concern, and research integrity.
• COPE Guidance on Cooperation Between Research Institutions and Journals — guidance on cooperation when investigating research and publication misconduct.