Corrections & Updates

What this policy covers

This policy applies to all editorial content on CleanFormulation: ingredient summaries, product notes, research explainers, methodological pages, and public datasets. It covers:

• Factual errors (e.g., incorrect INCI name, wrong DOI cited).
• Interpretation updates (e.g., new study changes our recommendation).
• Typographical and formatting corrections.
• Retractions in rare cases of serious error, methodological failure, or integrity concern.

How to report an error or suggest an update

We welcome reports from readers, clinicians, academics, and brands. To help us process your request quickly, please include:

1. Page URL where you saw the issue (copy the address bar).
2. Exact description of the issue (quote the sentence or data point).
3. Supporting evidence (study DOI/PMID, regulator link, label photo, batch code).
4. Your contact email for follow-up (optional, we can accept anonymous reports but follow-up helps clarification).

Send reports via the Contact page and select "Correction / Update" or email corrections@cleanformulation.com.

Acknowledgement & initial triage

We acknowledge all correction submissions within 7 business days. Our acknowledgement email includes:

• Reference number for the report (e.g., SR-2025-0001).
• Estimated timeline for review (varies by complexity).
• Request for clarifying details if needed.

If you do not receive an acknowledgement within 7 business days, please re-send or contact us directly at the above email address.

Investigation workflow (what we do next)

After acknowledgement, we follow a documented investigation workflow:

1. Assign: A primary researcher is assigned to the case within 3 business days.
2. Collect evidence: We retrieve the cited sources, regulatory documents, and product labels. If the report references a paywalled article, we attempt to access it via institutional channels or request a copy from the reporter.
3. Assess: The evidence is evaluated in light of our Ingredient Framework and Evidence Tiers, within the limits of publicly available data. We document the rationale and draft any necessary text changes.
4. Peer check: A second researcher reviews the proposed change and the supporting sources.
5. Decide: We accept, revise, or decline the suggested change. For significant disputes we consult an external expert (e.g., dermatology consultant, toxicologist).

Typical timeline: simple factual fixes often resolve within 2–4 weeks. Substantive evidence reviews may take 4–12 weeks depending on literature search complexity and peer review.

How we publish corrections and updates

Transparency is essential. When we update content we apply one of the following actions, clearly logged on the page:

• Minor edit: Typo fixes, formatting. We update the page and reflect the "Last reviewed" date; minor edits are not always recorded in the public changelog.
• Correction: A factual error is corrected and a short correction note is added in the page header or footer describing the change and the date.
• Update with rationale: When new evidence changes an interpretation (e.g., changes descriptive guidance language (e.g., from "Use with Caution" to "Generally Tolerated"), we add a visible note summarising the new evidence and link to the sources and changelog entry.
• Retraction: In the extremely rare event content must be withdrawn for integrity reasons, we remove the page and publish a retraction notice explaining the rationale.

Every substantive change includes a "What changed" box that explains the evidence and links to key sources so readers can verify the decision.

Public changelog, sample and access

Each major page has an accessible changelog section listing historical changes. Below is a representative example of how entries appear:

You can view each page's changelog by clicking the "Changelog" link near the top of the article where substantive edits have occurred.

Appeals, disputes, and external review

If you disagree with our decision on a correction, you may appeal. Appeals are reviewed by an independent reviewer or advisory panel where appropriate. The appeals process:

1. Submit an appeal through the Contact form indicating "Appeal, Corrections" and include your supporting evidence.
2. We assign an independent reviewer not involved in the initial decision.
3. The reviewer issues a written determination; if changes are required we update the page and changelog.

Appeals are typically decided within 4–8 weeks, depending on the need for external expert input.

Privacy & confidentiality in corrections

We protect reporter privacy. If you submit a correction that includes personal data or a health case, we remove identifying details from public records unless you explicitly consent to publication. We retain contact information only to the extent necessary to complete the investigation and to comply with legal obligations.

Our tangible commitments

• We acknowledge correction reports within 7 business days.
• We resolve simple factual errors within 2–4 weeks where possible.
• We publish a clear changelog entry for substantive corrections or updates.
• We involve external experts when evidence is disputed or highly technical.

These commitments are practical promises to our readers, and we report publicly on performance each year in our annual transparency summary.

How to follow updates

To keep track of changes:

• Use the "Last reviewed" date at the top of each page to see when content was checked.
• Click the "Changelog" link found on major pages for an itemised history.
• Subscribe to our research newsletter for occasional update digests.