The Annals of Dermatological Research (ADR) acknowledges that authors may occasionally need to withdraw their manuscript after submission. This Withdrawal Policy outlines the acceptable reasons, procedures, and consequences associated with withdrawing a manuscript, in alignment with COPE and ICMJE guidelines.

Manuscript withdrawal is a serious action that affects the integrity of scholarly publishing. Authors are strongly encouraged to consider all aspects before requesting withdrawal.

Acceptable Reasons for Withdrawal

Discovery of major errors or inaccuracies in the submitted manuscript.
Unintentional submission to multiple journals (duplicate submission).
Ethical concerns such as undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Author-related issues (e.g., loss of data ownership rights, change in authorship agreement).
Request to update with a significantly revised version before peer review begins.

Stages of Withdrawal

Withdrawal requests are handled differently depending on the stage of the publication process:

Before Peer Review: Authors may request withdrawal without penalty by providing written justification.
During Peer Review: Withdrawal requests are discouraged but may be considered with a valid explanation. Authors must provide written consent from all co-authors.
After Acceptance (Pre-publication): Withdrawal at this stage is allowed only under extraordinary circumstances and may incur a withdrawal charge to cover editorial and processing costs.
Post-Publication: Withdrawal is not possible. Instead, a retraction or correction is issued in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Withdrawal Procedure

The corresponding author must submit a formal withdrawal request via email to [email protected].
The request must include:
- Manuscript ID and title.
- Reason for withdrawal.
- Signed statement of agreement from all authors.
The editorial office will acknowledge the request and confirm acceptance or rejection of the withdrawal.

Withdrawal Charges

If a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before final publication, ADR may impose a withdrawal fee to cover the costs of peer review, editing, and production. Details of applicable charges are provided on the Charges Policy page.

Article Retraction and Replacement

In cases where post-publication issues arise (e.g., plagiarism, ethical breaches, significant errors), ADR may:

Retract the article, providing a clear explanation in the retraction notice.
Replace the article with a corrected version, if appropriate, while maintaining transparency about changes made.
Issue a Correction or Erratum for minor errors that do not affect the validity of the findings.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Withdrawal or retraction requests based on potential legal issues (e.g., defamation, copyright disputes, or ethical violations) will be handled in consultation with legal advisors and in strict adherence to international publishing ethics.

Impact on Authors

Frequent or unjustified withdrawals may result in restrictions on future submissions.
In serious cases of ethical misconduct, institutions or funding agencies may be notified.

FAQs

Can I withdraw my paper during peer review without penalty?

Yes, but authors must provide valid justification and agreement from all co-authors.

What if I discover an error after publication?

Post-publication errors are corrected through errata, corrigenda, or retractions—not withdrawal.

Are withdrawal charges always applied?

No, charges apply only when withdrawal occurs after acceptance.