Written by the Health Supplements Singapore editorial team · Last updated: 14 August 2026
A supplement retraction check helps you confirm whether a study has been corrected, questioned, or withdrawn after publication. This Singapore guide is general education, not medical advice: it shows how to inspect linked notices and record the current publication status before using a paper to assess a health claim.
Why publication status matters
The HSA claims substantiation guidelines say health claims must be supported by evidence relevant to the claim. They also caution against using research results or partial, out-of-context quotations to imply greater validity than a product can provide.
A journal may later issue a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction. Such an update can change whether a paper should support a health claim, but it does not decide whether a supplement suits a person. Check status before interpreting results.
Separate four publication statuses
This original status-to-action map was assembled from the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), PubMed, Crossref, and HSA sources checked on 14 August 2026.
| Status seen | What the official records indicate | Reader action |
|---|---|---|
| No linked update found | No correction, concern, or retraction was visible in the checked records | Record where and when you checked; do not treat absence of a flag as a quality certificate |
| Correction or erratum | Part of the publication record has been corrected or supplemented | Open the notice, identify the affected text, table, figure, or data, and use the corrected record |
| Expression of concern | An editor has alerted readers to an integrity concern while an outcome may still be pending | Do not present the paper as unqualified support; record the concern and check again later |
| Retraction | The article has been withdrawn in whole and linked to a retraction notice | Do not use the withdrawn findings as current support; read the notice and look for corrected or replacement evidence |
NLM's linked-citation policy distinguishes errata, expressions of concern, retraction notices, retracted publications, and corrected-and-republished articles. It also explains that PubMed links the original citation to the notice when the journal supplies the relevant information.
Build a study-status record
Use this original seven-field record for each study. It was derived from the same official sources and captured on 14 August 2026.
| Field | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Study identity | Full title, journal, year, DOI, and PMID if available | Prevents checking a similarly titled paper by mistake |
| Publisher page | Final DOI or journal URL | Shows the publisher's current version and linked notices |
| Database record | PubMed URL and publication types, when indexed | Exposes NLM-linked correction, concern, or retraction records |
| Status service | Crossmark result, when the item carries Crossmark | May surface registered corrections, retractions, or other updates |
| Notice identity | Notice title, DOI or PMID, publisher, and date | Makes the update independently traceable |
| Affected material | Whole paper or named text, table, figure, analysis, or conclusion | Separates a limited correction from a full withdrawal |
| Claim impact | Exact supplement claim or statement that used the paper | Shows what needs removal, revision, or further evidence |
Keep screenshots or notes only when permitted, but always retain clickable URLs and the check date. Do not invent a reason when a notice is brief or unclear.
Check the paper in three places
Start with the publisher or DOI page. Look near the title, abstract, article history, and reference tools for a correction, concern, retraction, replacement, or update notice. Open the notice itself rather than relying on a banner alone.
Next, check PubMed when the study is indexed. The PubMed user guide documents linked record types and searchable filters for Retraction Notice and Retracted Publication. On a record, inspect the publication types and the linked Retraction in, Retraction of, Erratum in, or expression-of-concern entry.
Finally, use Crossmark when the publisher displays it. Crossref's Crossmark documentation says the button can show corrections, retractions, and other updates registered by participating members. Crossref also cautions that Crossmark's presence is not itself a guarantee, so compare it with the publisher page and PubMed rather than treating one tool as complete.
Use a seven-step retraction check
This repeatable sequence combines the four verified sources and was captured on 14 August 2026.
- Copy the paper's exact title, authors, journal, year, DOI, and PMID from the source record.
- Open the DOI or publisher page and look for a status banner and linked notice.
- Search the exact title or PMID in PubMed; inspect publication types and linked citations.
- Open Crossmark if the article carries the button and record any registered update.
- Read the full correction, concern, retraction, or replacement notice; note who issued it, when, and what it covers.
- Trace the exact supplement claim back to the affected result, table, figure, or conclusion.
- Record the check date and outcome, remove withdrawn support, and schedule a recheck when an investigation or replacement is pending.
If records conflict, pause the claim assessment and contact the journal or a librarian rather than choosing the most convenient status.
Questions people ask
Does a correction mean the entire study is unusable? Not necessarily. Read the linked notice to see what changed and whether the corrected material affects the result used for the claim.
Is an expression of concern the same as a retraction? No. NLM treats it as a separate linked notice. It signals a concern and may be followed by another outcome, so record it without predicting the investigation.
If PubMed shows no retraction, is the paper definitely current? No. Not every paper is indexed in PubMed, and NLM links depend on information supplied by journals. Check the publisher page and Crossmark when available.
Can a retracted paper still appear in search results or references? Yes. A citation can remain discoverable while being marked and linked to a notice. The task is to read the current record, not assume visibility means validity.
This article is general educational information about health supplements in Singapore. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or a compliance decision. For personal guidance—especially if you take medication, are pregnant, have a health condition, or are considering a high-dose product—speak with a doctor or pharmacist.
Related reading on this site: Supplement claims and evidence · Supplement study match check · Supplement trial registration · Systematic review check