Clarivate’s influential Web of Science database of abstracts and citations has paused coverage of new content from a collection of surgery journals, including a top-ranked title in the field. The move came just a week after Retraction Watch's investigation, published March 12, 2026, which found mandatory citation of reporting guidelines in the International Journal of Surgery (IJS) had inflated the impact factor of the open-access title, making it more attractive to authors and readers.

IJS is among six IJS Publishing Group (IJSPG) titles that have been put on hold due to concerns about "the quality of the content published in this journal," according to information on Clarivate’s website. "We only put a journal on hold when our initial review indicates that concerns are valid and require further investigation. Based on the outcomes of re-evaluations to date, around 85% of journals put on hold are ultimately delisted."

Source https://retractionwatch.com/2026/06/24/major-citation-index-put-surgery-journals-on-hold-following-retraction-watch-investigation/

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