Retraction Notifications: Already Automatically Being Pushed Through OA Switchboard

Timely, reliable information about retracted articles is essential for research institutions and funders. It enables them to assess potential implications for their research, publications, projects and funding, and to take appropriate action where needed.

This information is already being shared via OA Switchboard. As of October 2026, around 20 publishers have sent retraction notifications via the service, covering 1,142 unique DOIs.

Using OA Switchboard’s standardised message structure and existing persistent identifier (PID) infrastructure, including DOI, ORCID and ROR, publishers can notify relevant institutions and funders about retracted articles. These notifications provide timely alerts and support automated data feeds into downstream systems, helping stakeholders integrate retraction information into their existing workflows.

Retraction notifications are supported by OA Switchboard’s existing P1 messaging service. When a publisher issues a retraction, a P1 notification delivers standardised metadata to the relevant affiliated institutions and funders, using the same established messaging infrastructure as initial publication notifications.

OA Switchboard’s standardised protocol enables transparent information exchange about scholarly publications and is designed to integrate with the systems used by different stakeholders.

What comes next?

We are planning a round-table discussion with publishers, research funders and institutions to explore how well the current notifications meet stakeholder needs and identify opportunities for improvement. Participants in OA Switchboard and members of its Advisory Group will be invited to share their experiences and help shape the next steps.