ORIGINAL CITATION
Keramati M, Sargolzaei MS, Moghadasi A, Basirinezhad MH, Mohammadpourhodki R. Evaluating the effect of slow-stroke back massage on the anxiety of candidates for cataract surgery. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2019;12(2):12–17. https://doi.org/10.3822/ijtmb.v12i2.439
As the Executive Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (IJTMB), I am issuing this statement to inform our readership about the retraction of the article titled “Evaluating the Effect of Slow-stroke Back Massage on the Anxiety of Candidates for Cataract Surgery,” published in June 2019.
One of our readers informed us that during their literature review process, they discovered the above-mentioned article was published in April 2019 in the Romanian Journal of Opthamology. Upon being advised of the duplication, we immediately investigated following the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Council guidelines,(1) and it was determined that the duplication occurred due to a combination of factors.
To remedy this situation, we have contacted the authors of the duplicate article and notified them of the situation. In addition, we have retracted the duplicate publication from the June 2019 edition of International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Further, we have reviewed our internal processes to ensure that we are doing everything possible to prevent these types of errors from occurring in the future. Our team is committed to continuing to implement strict internal processes and procedures to ensure that we are maintaining the highest of standards for publications.
We also remind our authors of their responsibilities in the publication process. When authors submit manuscripts to the IJTMB, they are asked to disclose whether the work has been previously published or submitted for publication. During the review process, if the status of the manuscript changes, it is the author(s)’s responsibility to notify the Editorial Team so that the review/production process can be halted.
I extend our sincere apologies to our readers and the wider scientific community for any confusion or inconvenience caused. Duplicate publications undermine the integrity of scientific research and are unacceptable in the field of academic research and publication.
1. COPE Council. COPE retraction guidelines — English, Version 2: November 2019. https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.1.4
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International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, Volume 17, Number 1, March 2024