Accredited by HEC in Y category
Post-Publication Inquiries and Corrections Policy
The journal follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, and international best practices for handling post-publication matters. Where errors or ethical concerns are identified after publication, NIJBM will investigate them fairly, transparently, and promptly.
1. Purpose
This policy establishes the procedures for handling post-publication inquiries, requests for corrections, and concerns regarding articles published in NIJBM.
2. Post-Publication Inquiries
Readers, authors, reviewers, editors, or institutions may contact the Editorial Office regarding factual errors, authorship issues, ethical concerns, conflicts of interest, data integrity, citation inaccuracies, copyright matters, or suspected research misconduct.
3. Assessment of Inquiries
All inquiries will be acknowledged and assessed by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned editor. Where necessary, the journal may request supporting documentation from authors or institutions before reaching a decision.
4. Corrections
When an error does not invalidate the overall findings of the article but may affect clarity, accuracy, or interpretation, NIJBM will publish a formal correction linked to the original article. Corrections may address author details, affiliations, typographical errors, figures, tables, references, or factual inaccuracies.
5. Retractions
If reliable evidence demonstrates that a published article contains fabricated data, plagiarism, major errors, unethical research, duplicate publication, or other serious misconduct that invalidates its findings, NIJBM may retract the article following COPE guidance. The retraction notice will remain permanently linked to the article and explain the reason for retraction.
6. Expressions of Concern
If a serious concern has been raised but an investigation is ongoing or inconclusive, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern to inform readers until the matter is resolved.
7. Article Updates
Minor editorial changes that do not affect the scientific content may be made where appropriate. Any substantive amendment will be clearly documented to maintain transparency.
8. Author Responsibilities
Authors are expected to notify the journal promptly if they discover a significant error or omission in their published work and to cooperate fully in any post-publication investigation or correction process.
9. Editorial Responsibilities
The editorial team will handle all post-publication matters impartially, confidentially, and without undue delay. Decisions will be based on available evidence and internationally accepted publication ethics standards rather than commercial or personal interests.
10. Transparency
All corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern will be clearly identified, permanently linked to the original article, freely accessible to readers, and preserved as part of the scholarly record.
11. Contact
Questions regarding published articles or requests for corrections should be submitted to the NIJBM Editorial Office through the journal's official communication channels available on the NIJBM website.
