Editorial transparency and post-publication traceability: Medicina Clínica y Social implements the Crossmark Policy

Abstract

Publishing a scientific article does not end a journal’s editorial responsibility. Once an article enters the scholarly record, it may be cited, interpreted, reproduced, and incorporated into research, clinical practice, and policy decisions. Journals therefore have a continuing obligation to ensure that relevant changes in the status of a published article are communicated clearly, promptly, and in a way that readers can verify.

Post-publication mechanisms, such as corrections, errata, expressions of concern, retractions, withdrawals, and new versions, should not be viewed as signs of editorial weakness. When managed transparently, they are part of the infrastructure of scientific integrity. Science progresses not only by generating new evidence but also by correcting, clarifying, and contextualizing what has already been published. Journals that document these processes openly help preserve the reliability and continuity of the scholarly record.

As part of this commitment, Medicina Clínica y Social has implemented a Crossmark policy for updates, corrections, and retractions beginning with Volume 10. Participating articles now display the Crossmark button on both their HTML landing pages and PDF files. Crossmark, a service provided by Crossref, enables readers to verify whether the document they are viewing is the current version of record or whether a registered editorial update exists, such as a correction, erratum, expression of concern, retraction, withdrawal, or new version. This information is linked to the article’s DOI and remains accessible regardless of how the article is accessed.

This implementation is consistent with international recommendations on publication ethics and editorial transparency promoted by organizations such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and Crossref. In the context of Paraguayan scientific publishing, the visible and systematic use of Crossmark in both HTML and PDF formats represents a meaningful step toward strengthening the traceability, transparency, and accountability of the published record.