ICMJE Guidance Notice

"Given recent actions of the executive branch of the United States government related to the manuscripts in process at scientific journals, ICMJE highlights our guidance (https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/) relevant to journals' response to requests to withdraw, revise, or alter authorship of manuscripts:...

If authors request removal or addition of an author after manuscript submission or publication, journal editors should seek an explanation and signed statement of agreement for the requested change from all listed authors including the author to be removed or added....Corrections are warranted for errors of fact that should have been recognized at the time of publication. Matters of debate and evolving science and methods are not errors. Retraction of published work is generally reserved for errors serious enough to invalidate results and conclusions and/or when there is scientific misconduct.."