Majalah Anestesia & Critical Care (MACC) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal follows clear procedures for correcting errors, retracting unreliable published articles, and processing requests to withdraw manuscripts before publication. These procedures are informed by the COPE Retraction Guidelines, which identify the correction of the scholarly record, rather than punishment of authors, as the purpose of retraction.

MACC evaluates each case according to the nature of the problem, the reliability of the evidence, the effect on the article's findings and conclusions, and the stage of the publication process. The journal aims to make editorial decisions promptly, fairly, and independently, while providing appropriate explanations to the relevant parties. COPE recommends that journals use transparent procedures for correcting published research and make post-publication notices freely accessible to readers. See COPE, Visibility of Corrections and Retractions.

MACC may publish a correction when an error in a published article requires amendment but does not invalidate the overall reliability of the work. Examples may include errors in author names, affiliations, funding statements, figures, tables, data presentation, or other published information that readers need to interpret the article accurately. The journal will assess the significance of each error before deciding whether a formal correction is appropriate, in line with the principles in the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

Authors who identify an error in their published article should notify the editorial office promptly, describe the error, explain its implications, and provide the proposed correction and supporting evidence. Readers and other researchers may also report suspected errors through the journal's official communication channels. COPE recommends that editors assess concerns about published research and follow an appropriate process regardless of how the concern reaches the journal. See COPE, Dealing with Concerns About the Integrity of Published Research.

The editor will determine whether the proposed change requires a formal correction notice, a more substantial editorial action, or no change to the published record. When a correction is justified, MACC will publish a notice that identifies the affected article, describes the correction clearly, and explains the change where necessary. The correction notice will link directly to the original article. COPE recommends transparent notices that enable readers to identify the affected publication and understand the reason for the amendment. See COPE, Retraction Guidelines.

MACC will preserve a clear record of the correction and will not silently alter the published article in a way that obscures a material change. The journal may correct the online article and its associated metadata where appropriate, while retaining a visible link to the formal correction notice. COPE states that post-publication corrections and notices should remain freely accessible rather than being placed behind a paywall. See COPE, Visibility of Corrections and Retractions.

MACC may retract a published article when reliable evidence establishes that the article's findings or conclusions cannot be trusted. Grounds for retraction may include major errors, fabricated or falsified data, serious image irregularities, plagiarism, duplicate publication without appropriate justification, unauthorised use of material or data, unethical research practices, compromised peer review, or undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially affect the work. These circumstances are addressed in the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

Retraction is intended to correct the scientific literature and alert readers to unreliable findings. MACC will not use retraction as a punishment for authors, and an honest error does not automatically require retraction if a correction can adequately resolve the problem. The editor will consider whether the problem undermines the article's reliability and whether a less extensive correction can adequately protect the published record. See COPE, Retraction Guidelines.

MACC will assess the evidence, request explanations from the authors where appropriate, and consult the relevant institution or independent experts when the case requires further investigation. The journal may proceed with an editorial decision when the available evidence supports action, even if an institutional investigation has not concluded. If substantial concerns remain unresolved and the evidence does not yet justify retraction, the editor may consider an expression of concern. COPE addresses these situations in its Retraction Guidelines and Expressions of Concern Guidelines.

The editor-in-chief is responsible for the final retraction decision unless a conflict of interest or other circumstance compromises the editor's independence. MACC may consult its publisher or other appropriate advisers, but commercial considerations must not determine whether an article should be retracted. This allocation of responsibility follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

When MACC retracts an article, the journal will publish a separate retraction notice that clearly identifies the article by title and authors, explains the reason for retraction to the extent supported by the evidence, and identifies the party initiating the retraction when appropriate. The notice will link to the original article, and the original article will clearly indicate its retracted status. COPE recommends prompt, transparent retraction notices that remain accessible to all readers. See COPE, Retraction Guidelines.

MACC will publish the retraction notice as soon as the editor has sufficient confidence that the article is seriously flawed, misleading, or otherwise meets the criteria for retraction. If a decision requires further investigation and a delay is unavoidable, the journal may publish an expression of concern when appropriate. COPE addresses timely action and interim notices in its Retraction Guidelines and Expressions of Concern Guidelines.

MACC will keep the retraction notice freely accessible and clearly linked to the original publication. The journal will not remove the article solely to conceal its publication history; instead, it will preserve an appropriate record of the article and its retracted status, subject to applicable legal or technical requirements. COPE recommends that correction and retraction notices remain visible and accessible to all readers. See COPE, Visibility of Corrections and Retractions.

MACC may publish an expression of concern when substantial and credible questions arise about the reliability of a published article but the available evidence does not yet justify retraction, or when a formal investigation cannot reach a timely conclusion. An expression of concern may also be appropriate while the journal awaits essential information from authors or institutions. COPE sets out these circumstances in Expressions of Concern.

An expression of concern will identify the affected article, explain the nature of the concern, and provide readers with the information the journal can responsibly disclose at that stage. It will link directly to the article and remain freely accessible. When further evidence becomes available, MACC will review the matter and determine whether to issue a correction, retract the article, or take no further action. COPE recommends that expressions of concern serve the integrity of the scholarly record and remain linked to the affected publication. See COPE, Expressions of Concern.

Withdrawal refers to the removal of a manuscript from consideration before publication. Authors who wish to withdraw a manuscript must submit a written request to the MACC editorial office, identify the manuscript, state the reason for the request, and obtain confirmation from the journal. MACC will review the request in accordance with its submission terms, the stage of the publication process, and any applicable copyright, licence, or publication-fee arrangements. COPE's position on author requests explains that authors may request withdrawal before the relevant copyright assignment or, for open-access journals, the applicable payment or licence agreement, subject to the journal's published terms. See COPE, Handling Author Requests to Remove Their Submission.

MACC will ask the corresponding author to confirm that all co-authors agree to the withdrawal when this is relevant to the circumstances. The journal may request clarification if the request involves a dispute among authors, suspected misconduct, duplicate submission, or another unresolved ethical concern. COPE's guidance distinguishes legitimate withdrawal requests from attempts to use withdrawal to facilitate multiple submissions or obtain editorial feedback for submission elsewhere. See COPE, Handling Author Requests to Remove Their Submission.

Authors must not submit the same manuscript to another journal while MACC is still considering it unless they have properly withdrawn it and received confirmation from the editorial office. A withdrawal request does not automatically establish misconduct, but MACC may investigate evidence of duplicate submission or other ethical concerns under its relevant publication ethics procedures. COPE discusses the ethical risks of using withdrawal to facilitate multiple submissions in Handling Author Requests to Remove Their Submission.

A request to withdraw a manuscript after acceptance or during production requires careful assessment because the journal may already have committed editorial, production, or publication resources. MACC will review the reason for the request, the publication stage, any agreements already in force, and whether the request raises concerns about data accuracy, authorship, research ethics, or duplicate submission. COPE discusses the complexities of withdrawal requests after editorial acceptance in its case guidance on Withdrawal of an Article.

If the authors identify a serious error that affects the validity of the manuscript, MACC will assess the evidence and determine an appropriate response rather than treating the request as a routine change of preference. If the journal has already published the article, the matter should normally be assessed through correction or retraction procedures instead of ordinary manuscript withdrawal. COPE states that publication and retraction are distinct processes and that retraction requires sufficient grounds. See COPE, Withdrawal of an Article and the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

Once an article has been formally published, MACC will not treat a request to remove it as an ordinary manuscript withdrawal. If authors or readers identify a serious problem, the journal will assess whether a correction, expression of concern, or retraction is appropriate. COPE explains that retraction should be considered when a published article has serious flaws or unreliable findings, rather than using withdrawal to erase the publication record. See COPE, Withdrawal of an Article and the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

MACC will consider requests to remove or restrict published content only when justified by applicable law, privacy or safety obligations, or another exceptional circumstance. Any such action must preserve transparency about the publication history to the extent legally and technically possible. This approach supports COPE's position that post-publication corrections and notices should remain visible and freely accessible to readers. See COPE, Visibility of Corrections and Retractions.

Authors, readers, reviewers, and other interested parties may report suspected errors or concerns about a published MACC article through the journal's official editorial contact channels. Reports should identify the article, describe the issue, and provide supporting evidence or references where available. MACC will assess the concern objectively and determine whether it requires clarification, correction, an expression of concern, retraction, or no further action. COPE recommends that journals investigate concerns about the integrity of published research and follow an appropriate process based on the evidence. See COPE, Dealing with Concerns About the Integrity of Published Research.

MACC may contact the authors, request original data or supporting documents, consult independent experts, or communicate with the relevant institution when necessary. The journal will distinguish allegations from established findings and will consider responses from relevant parties before taking action when practicable. COPE provides practical guidance for editors responding to concerns about published research in Dealing with Concerns About the Integrity of Published Research.

MACC will make formal correction notices, expressions of concern, and retraction notices freely accessible to readers, subject to technical limitations and applicable legal requirements. The journal will provide a clear link between each notice and the affected article so that readers can understand the publication's current status. COPE explicitly states that post-publication corrections and notices should not be placed behind a paywall. See COPE, Visibility of Corrections and Retractions.

MACC will document the reasons for significant editorial actions and communicate outcomes to relevant parties when appropriate. The journal will protect confidential information while providing sufficient explanation for readers to understand the correction or retraction. COPE's Retraction Guidelines recommend clear retraction notices that identify the article and explain the reasons for the action.

MACC will review this policy periodically to ensure that it remains consistent with current publication ethics guidance and the journal's editorial procedures. The journal may revise the policy when necessary to address changes in scholarly publishing, correction practices, retraction procedures, or manuscript withdrawal arrangements. The review will take account of current COPE guidance on Retractions, Expressions of Concern, and Author Requests to Remove Their Submission.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Retraction Guidelines. Version 3, August 2025. DOI: 10.24318/cope.2019.1.4.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Expressions of Concern. COPE Guidelines, last reviewed 27 August 2025. DOI: 10.24318/mw2J3661.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Visibility of Corrections and Retractions. COPE Position, last reviewed 20 August 2024. DOI: 10.24318/UBmyMDPA.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Handling Author Requests to Remove Their Submission. COPE Position, last reviewed 20 August 2024. DOI: 10.24318/wkWgT4l9.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Withdrawal of an Article. COPE Case 15-27, 2015.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Dealing with Concerns About the Integrity of Published Research. Discussion document, last reviewed 21 June 2023. DOI: 10.24318/9cdeTy2t.

Majalah Anestesia & Critical Care (MACC). Official Journal Website.