JOURNAL TAKES DECISIVE ACTION TO PREVENT DISSEMINATION OF MISINFORMATION ON COVID-19 TREATMENT
In a significant move to uphold the integrity of scientific information, our journal has chosen to rescind the acceptance of a paper recently found unsuitable for publication due to concerns about the authors' dissemination of misinformation related to COVID-19 treatment. The decision to publish the manuscript had been made, but recent developments have prompted a reevaluation of the paper's suitability.
The authors, previously highlighted in other journals for spreading misinformation, raised additional concerns during the production process. An email from the author to the production editor indicated potential attempts to influence the decision-making process.
Upon careful consideration, the editorial team has found the peer review comments to be insufficient and believes that the paper requires further evaluation. In alignment with ethical publishing practices, the journal aims to prevent the contribution of potentially misleading information to the literature surrounding COVID-19 treatment.
Editorial Response:
The editors plan to address this situation transparently and responsibly. They will:
- Contact the author to communicate the need for additional peer review.
- Subject the manuscript to two further rounds of peer review to ensure a thorough evaluation.
- Provide the author with the new set of peer review comments, fostering transparency in the review process.
COPE Guidance:
The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) advises that journal editors possess the authority to make decisions at any stage of the publication process. Even after acceptance, concerns raised may.
