The Pakistan Journal of Health Solutions (PJHS) understands that there may be circumstances in which authors need to withdraw their manuscript from consideration during the submission or review process. This Withdrawal Policy outlines the procedures and conditions under which a manuscript can be withdrawn from PJHS.

1. Manuscript Withdrawal Before Submission

Authors are permitted to withdraw their manuscript at any time before it is formally submitted for peer review. Once a manuscript is submitted, it is considered as “under review” and the withdrawal process will follow the steps outlined below.

• Procedure:
  • Authors wishing to withdraw their manuscript before submission must contact the editorial office at editor@pakistanhealthsolutions.org.
  • Authors should provide a reason for the withdrawal request. While reasons are not mandatory, they help the editorial team understand the situation.
• Refunds:
  • If an author withdraws their manuscript before it is accepted for publication, no Article Processing Charges (APC) are required, and no fees will be charged.

2. Manuscript Withdrawal During Peer Review

Once a manuscript has been submitted and is under review, authors may still request withdrawal of their manuscript under certain circumstances.

• Withdrawal Request:

  • Authors wishing to withdraw their manuscript during the peer review process must send a written request to editor@pakistanhealthsolutions.org.
  • The request must be made prior to the completion of the peer review process or editorial decision.

• Acknowledgment of Withdrawal:

  • The editorial office will acknowledge the withdrawal request and confirm that the manuscript has been removed from the review process.

• Impact on Reviewers:

  • If the manuscript has already been sent to reviewers, the reviewers will be notified of the withdrawal, and their time will be acknowledged and appreciated.

• Refunds:

  • Manuscripts withdrawn during peer review are eligible for a partial refund of the Article Processing Charge (APC) if any editorial or administrative work has been performed. The amount refunded will depend on the stage of the process at the time of withdrawal.

3. Manuscript Withdrawal After Acceptance

Once a manuscript is accepted for publication, withdrawal is only permitted under exceptional circumstances.

• Exceptional Circumstances:

  • Authors must provide clear and valid reasons for requesting withdrawal after acceptance, such as ethical issues, critical errors in the manuscript, or personal issues.
  • The editorial team will review the request, and if deemed appropriate, the manuscript will be withdrawn from the journal.

• Refund Policy:

  • If the manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance, no refund of the Article Processing Charge (APC) will be issued.

• Formal Withdrawal Notice:

  • If a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance, a formal withdrawal notice will be issued, and the article will not appear in the published issue of the journal.

• Impact on Publication:

  • The withdrawn article will be removed from the online submission system, and no further processing or publication steps will be taken.

4. Consequences of Withdrawal

• For Authors:
  • If the manuscript is withdrawn by the author, the author acknowledges that PJHS will no longer process or publish the manuscript, and the manuscript will be excluded from all future issues of the journal.
• For Reviewers:
  • Reviewers who have already provided feedback on a manuscript that is later withdrawn will be notified of the withdrawal. Their time and contributions will be acknowledged by the editorial team.

5. Multiple Withdrawals

• Authors with Repeated Withdrawal Requests:
  • If an author submits multiple withdrawal requests for different manuscripts within a short period, the editorial team may review the author’s history and may limit or deny further submissions, especially if withdrawal requests appear to be made without valid reasons.