Corrections and retractions

Corrections

We try hard not to make mistakes, but errors — both by editors and by authors — do creep into the journal. We publish corrections when necessary, and, to ensure that corrections are handled consistently, one editor deals with them all.

We set no time limit for notifying errors or publishing corrections. We always try to contact the author of the original article unless the error is very obvious, and we publish all corrections as soon as we can.

If your article is published on thebmj.com, and you discover a mistake between online and print publication we will normally correct this by making the article correct in the printed version. Only in exceptional circumstances will we publish a corrected version of an article.

In the print journal we publish corrections either singly in the relevant section or, more usually, grouped together in a box of "Corrections and clarifications." On thebmj.com we indicate in red that an article has a correction and provide a direct link to it.

If you want further advice about our policy or would like to notify us about the need for a specific correction please email our Publishing Services team. Please give as much detail as possible about errors, including any views on how they might have arisen.

Retractions

Retractions are considered by journal editors in cases of evidence of unreliable data or findings, plagiarism, duplicate publication, and unethical research. We may consider an expression of concern notice if an article is under investigation.

A replacement version of the online article is posted containing just the metadata, with a retraction note replacing the original text. The PDF may be removed or replaced with a version watermarked with “Retracted.” A retraction notice is published in print.