Withdrawal Policy

The International Journal of Surgical and Medical Research (IJSMR) recognizes that authors may occasionally need to withdraw a manuscript after submission and therefore provides a transparent procedure for handling withdrawal requests while maintaining the integrity of the scholarly publication process. Authors are expected to submit manuscripts only when they are fully prepared to participate in the editorial and peer review process. However, prior to publication, authors may request withdrawal of their manuscript by submitting a formal written request from the corresponding author to the Editorial Office, clearly stating the reasons for withdrawal. If the request is received during the initial editorial screening or desk review stage, the manuscript will be withdrawn promptly and removed from further consideration. If the manuscript has already entered the peer review process, withdrawal requests will be evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief. While withdrawal during active peer review is discouraged because it consumes the time and effort of reviewers and editors, requests may be approved when justified by valid scientific, ethical, or practical reasons, such as the discovery of significant errors in data, methodology, or analysis. The journal does not impose any withdrawal fees or penalties for manuscripts withdrawn before publication.

Once an article has been formally published as the Version of Record, it becomes a permanent part of the scientific literature and cannot be removed or withdrawn at the request of the author. In cases where errors, ethical concerns, or issues affecting the reliability of the published work are identified after publication, the journal will address such matters in accordance with internationally accepted publishing standards and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Minor errors that do not affect the validity or interpretation of the research may be corrected through the publication of an erratum or correction notice linked to the original article. In cases involving major methodological flaws, unreliable findings, plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated or falsified data, ethical violations, or other forms of research misconduct, the journal may issue a formal retraction. Retracted articles will remain accessible as part of the scholarly record but will be clearly identified as retracted, and a public retraction notice explaining the reasons for the action will be published and permanently linked to the article.

The journal considers simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals to be a serious breach of publication ethics. If evidence of duplicate submission or other unethical conduct is discovered during the editorial or peer review process, the journal reserves the right to reject the manuscript immediately and may take additional actions consistent with ethical publishing standards, including notifying relevant institutions or organizations when appropriate.

This Withdrawal Policy is reviewed periodically to ensure continued compliance with international best practices in scholarly publishing, digital record preservation, and publication ethics. The policy may be updated as necessary to reflect evolving recommendations from COPE and other recognized authorities in academic and medical publishing.