Withdrawal Policy

At Global Medical Insights Journal, we understand that circumstances may arise where authors may wish to withdraw a manuscript from the review or publication process. This Withdrawal Policy outlines the conditions and procedures for manuscript withdrawal and ensures that the process is handled fairly and transparently.

1. Author-Initiated Withdrawal

Authors may request to withdraw their manuscript at any point during the publication process, subject to the following conditions:

Before Submission to Review (Pre-Review Stage):

  • Full Withdrawal: If an author decides to withdraw the manuscript before it has been submitted for peer review, they may do so without any penalties. No fees will be incurred, and the manuscript will be removed from the submission system.

After Submission, Before Peer Review:

  • Full Withdrawal: If the manuscript has been submitted but has not yet entered the peer review process, the author may request to withdraw the manuscript. The editorial office will confirm the withdrawal, and the manuscript will be removed from the system. No fees will be charged for withdrawal at this stage.

After Review, Before Acceptance:

  • Withdrawal After Review: If the manuscript has undergone peer review but has not yet been accepted for publication, authors may still request to withdraw the manuscript. The manuscript will be returned to the authors, and the editorial office will process the withdrawal.

    • APC Refund: If the Article Processing Charge (APC) has already been paid and the manuscript is withdrawn before acceptance, the APC will be refunded according to the Refund Policy (if applicable). Administrative charges may apply depending on the stage of the process.

After Acceptance, Before Publication:

  • Full Withdrawal: Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication but has not yet been published (e.g., in the final stages of editing), the author may request withdrawal. At this stage:

    • APC Non-Refundable: If the APC has been paid, it is non-refundable, as the manuscript is already in the final stages of preparation.

    • Withdrawal Notice: The manuscript will be withdrawn, and the author will be notified that the withdrawal has been processed.

After Publication (Post-Publication Stage):

  • Post-Publication Withdrawal: Once an article is published online or in print, it cannot be withdrawn, except under exceptional circumstances such as ethical violations, legal issues, or other serious reasons. In these cases:

    • Retraction: Instead of withdrawal, the article may be retracted. A retraction notice will be published, and the article will be marked as retracted in the journal’s archive.

2. Editor-Initiated Withdrawal

In some cases, the editorial team may decide to withdraw a manuscript from the review or publication process. This may happen under the following circumstances:

  • Plagiarism or Ethical Violations: If plagiarism, data falsification, or other forms of academic misconduct are detected, the manuscript will be withdrawn from the review or publication process immediately. The author will be informed of the reason for withdrawal.

  • Failure to Respond to Review Comments: If the authors do not respond to reviewer comments or fail to resubmit revised manuscripts in a timely manner, the manuscript may be withdrawn.

  • Violation of Submission Guidelines: If the manuscript does not comply with the journal’s submission guidelines (e.g., formatting, scope), it may be withdrawn. The author will be provided with an explanation and the option to resubmit after necessary revisions.

3. Withdrawal Process

To request a withdrawal, the corresponding author must notify the editorial office in writing via email. The withdrawal request should include the following information:

  • Manuscript Title: The title of the manuscript being withdrawn.

  • Manuscript ID: The submission ID of the manuscript.

  • Reason for Withdrawal: A brief explanation of why the manuscript is being withdrawn.

Once the editorial office receives the withdrawal request, the corresponding author will receive a confirmation email, and the manuscript will be removed from the submission system. If the manuscript is in the peer review or post-acceptance stage, the decision will be communicated promptly.

4. Consequences of Withdrawal

  • Before Review: No penalties or fees will be applied if the manuscript is withdrawn before peer review.

  • After Review, Before Acceptance: If the manuscript has undergone peer review, the author will be required to address reviewer comments or explain why they wish to withdraw. The APC will be refunded if the manuscript is withdrawn at this stage, in accordance with the Refund Policy.

  • After Acceptance: If the manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance, the APC remains non-refundable. The author will be informed that the article will not be published.

  • Post-Publication: Once an article is published, it cannot be withdrawn. If an issue arises, the article may be retracted, and a retraction notice will be published.

5. Exceptional Circumstances for Withdrawal

In exceptional cases, such as unforeseen emergencies or legal issues, the editorial board may decide to allow manuscript withdrawal after acceptance or publication. These cases will be considered on an individual basis, and a decision will be made after reviewing the specific circumstances.

6. Communication of Withdrawal

Upon successful withdrawal of a manuscript, the corresponding author will receive a formal withdrawal confirmation from the editorial office. If applicable, any refunds or adjustments related to APCs will be processed according to the Refund Policy.

7. Handling of Manuscripts Withdrawn After Publication

In cases where an article is withdrawn post-publication, a retraction notice will be issued, and the article will remain available in the archive, clearly marked as retracted. The retraction notice will explain the reason for withdrawal.