Policy

Cochrane Reviews

From July 2019, Cochrane Reviews should only be withdrawn under exceptional circumstances (i.e. for reasons other than those that could be described using the Updating Classification System), for example, if there is a concern about the conduct or reporting of the Cochrane Review:

Examples of reasons for withdrawing a Cochrane Review

Withdrawing a Cochrane Review generates a new citation version. For Cochrane Reviews, this includes a new entry in PubMed.

Protocols for Cochrane Reviews

Protocols may be withdrawn for the same reasons as for reviews (see above) or for one of the following reasons: 

• The protocol is out of date and does not meet the current methodological standards of The Cochrane Collaboration.
• Authors have made no progress with this protocol in XX months/years. New authors are being sought to take over this protocol.
• The protocol has been split into or merged with other protocols (provide full references).
• The authors have requested this protocol to be withdrawn. The reason/s is/are [insert reason(s)].
• The protocol has been republished as a Diagnostic Test Accuracy Protocol (provide full reference).
• Title reassignment: A new protocol will be published by the review authors (provide list of authors).
• The Cochrane Review Group was unable to maintain contact with the contact author. The co-authors are unable to take over this protocol. New authors are being sought to take over this protocol.

Protocols that have not been converted into full Cochrane Reviews within two years of publication should generally be withdrawn from the CDSR.

Withdrawing a protocol for a Cochrane Review generates a new citation version.

Up to 16 December 2014, withdrawn protocols were removed from the CDSR after one issue of publication. From this date onwards, withdrawn protocols remain published to maintain the public record of publication and to complement the inclusion in PROSPERO.

Withdrawal followed by republication

The Editors may accept for publication a revised version of a Cochrane Review that addresses the issues raised in the withdrawn notice. Any such version will be re-evaluated using standard Cochrane editorial process, and may then be approved for publication (as a separate, subsequent version) in consultation with the Editor in Chief.

Display of published withdrawn articles

Published 'withdrawn' Cochrane Review or protocol for a Cochrane Review

When a protocol or review is withdrawn, it will be flagged in the published version in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) as ‘withdrawn’.

Published Cochrane Reviews (including protocols) are not removed from the CDSR. Published versions that precede a withdrawn version are available via the 'History' section of the Cochrane Review.

The following information is included in the withdrawn version:

• Reason for withdrawing the protocol/review (as inserted in the “Published Notes” section in the RevMan file), preceded by "Reason for withdrawal from publication".
• Standard publication information: title, authors (as listed on previous citation version), citation, DOI, publication date, editorial group name, Sources of support (as listed on previous citation version), and publishing events (What’s new and History).
• The following text is inserted automatically at the end of the “Reason for withdrawing this protocol/review” text: “The editorial group responsible for this previously published document have withdrawn it from publication.”
• Citations for the withdrawn version, as available via Crossref Cited-by Linking.
• Published versions that precede a withdrawn version are available in the CDSR by clicking on the ‘Version History’ tab in the article.

PubMed record for a 'withdrawn' Cochrane Review

• Article title preceded by "WITHDRAWN:".
• Abstract of the version that has been withdrawn.

Steps to withdraw a Cochrane Review

When withdrawing a Cochrane Review, the following steps need to be taken.

Step 1. Notify authors

The Managing Editor should notify the contact author (with copies to all co-authors) of the intention to withdraw the Cochrane Review – and give the opportunity for discussion (unless authors are not contactable) –  before proceeding with publication of the withdrawn statement.

If contactable, the authors must be asked if they agree with the proposed withdrawal, as this information can be included in the withdrawn statement.

Step 2. Draft the withdrawn statement

The withdrawn statements must include some key information. The reasons for withdrawal must not be potentially defamatory.

The withdrawn statement for Cochrane Reviews must include the following information:

1. Reason(s) for withdrawal, starting with: “This Cochrane Review has been withdrawn from publication.”
2. Which section(s) of the review is/are affected.
3. Who is withdrawing the review (and whether the authors agree).
4. Whether the Cochrane Review will be revised and re-published in future.

The withdrawn statement for protocols for Cochrane Reviews must include the following information:

1. Reason(s) for withdrawal, starting with: "This protocol for a Cochrane Review has been withdrawn”.
2. Who is withdrawing the protocol (and whether the authors agree).
3. Whether the protocol will be revised and republished in future.

Step 3. Approval from Network Senior Editor

The Network Senior Editor (emd@cochrane.org) must approve the withdrawal of each Cochrane Review. Provide the:

• Title
• DOI of the version being withdrawn
• Reason for withdrawal

Step 4. Notify Editorial & Methods Department

Forward the withdrawn approval email (including the information in Step 3) to the Editorial & Methods Department (emd@cochrane.org) before publication.

Step 5. Withdraw the Cochrane Review

Follow the steps available in Archie Help.