Twenty-five journals in May. Another twelve in June. Scopus removed 37 publications over the course of two months.
Every database update is not just an event you can glance at and forget. It’s a warning that applies to every author currently choosing a journal to submit to. Because that’s exactly what the risk will look like in 2026: not some abstract “predatory journal,” but a publication that was in the database just yesterday—and is no longer there today.
The June update covered eight countries and at least six scientific fields: ecology, pharmacy, engineering, orthopedics, healthcare, and environmental research. Eight journals were permanently removed from the index (Discontinuation). Four more changed their editorial policies to such an extent that Scopus could no longer confirm their compliance with its standards (Journal change policy).
None of the authors whose work was submitted to these publications received any warning.
The magazine we warned you about
The journal we warned about has been officially removed from Scopus
In the section “Journals at Risk of Being Removed from Scopus,” we systematically analyze publications at high risk of being removed. Among the June removals is a journal that we examined in detail in Issue No. 9:
Retos (Spain) — an analysis in Issue No. 9, “Candidates for Removal from Scopus.” View the analysis →
A Spanish journal on physical education and sports science. At the time of our analysis, we identified the following characteristics of a high-risk publication:
— a sharp increase in the number of posts over a short period of time;
— reducing the time required for peer review;
— active promotion through academic intermediaries.
The June Scopus update confirmed the forecast.
📊 42 out of 48 — and that's no coincidence
Between 2024 and 2026, 42 of the 48 journals we had flagged in the “Candidates for Removal from Scopus” section were officially removed from the database. This is the highest rate among teams that monitor scientific publications.
Official List of Excluded Journals (June 2026)
1. Environmental Safety and Balanced Use of Resources
- ISSN: 2415-3184 | E-ISSN: 2522-9508
- Publisher: Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas
- Country: Ukraine
- Reason: Discontinuation
- Scopus link: View in Scopus →
2. Seismic Engineering
- ISSN: 0393-1420 | E-ISSN: 3103-3997
- Publisher: Medinlin Soft
- Country: Italy
- Reason: Journal Change Policy
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
3. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Environmental Studies
- E-ISSN: 2980-7840
- Publisher: Green Wave Publications
- Reason: Discontinuation
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
4. Journal of Engineering Science and Technology
- ISSN: 1823-4690
- Publisher: Taylor’s University
- Country: Malaysia
- Reason: Discontinuation
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
5. Journal of Industrial and Management Optimization
- ISSN: 1547-5816 | E-ISSN: 1553-166X
- Publisher: American Institute of Mathematical Sciences
- Country: United States
- Reason: Journal Change Policy
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
6. Natural Product Research
- ISSN: 1478-6427 | E-ISSN: 1478-6419
- Publisher: Informa / Taylor & Francis
- Reason: Discontinuation
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
7. Pain, Joints, Spine
- ISSN: 2224-1507 | E-ISSN: 2307-1133
- Publisher: Zaslavsky Publishing House
- Country: Ukraine
- Reason: Journal Change Policy
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
8. Pharmacy
- ISSN: 0031-7144
- Publisher: Avoxa – German Pharmacists' Media Group, LLC
- Country: Germany
- Reason: Journal Change Policy
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
9. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies
- ISSN: 1230-1485 | E-ISSN: 2083-5906
- Publisher: HARD Publishing Company s.c.
- Country: Poland
- Reason: Discontinuation
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
10. Retos (Spain)
- ISSN: 1579-1726 | E-ISSN: 1988-2041
- Publisher: Spanish Federation of Physical Education Teachers — JURUFRA
- Country: Spain
- Reason: Discontinuation
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
ℹ️ This journal was analyzed in Issue No. 9, “Candidates for Removal from Scopus”—its exclusion was anticipated.
11. Tikrit Journal of Engineering Sciences
- ISSN: 1813-162X | E-ISSN: 2312-7589
- Publisher: Tikrit University
- Country: Iraq
- Reason: Discontinuation
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
12. Universal Journal of Public Health
- ISSN: 2331-8880 | E-ISSN: 2331-8945
- Publisher: Horizon Research Publishing
- Country: United States
- Reason: Discontinuation
- Scopus link: View in Scopus
Conclusions
The June Scopus update is not an anomaly. It is yet another confirmation that the database is alive, evolving, and does not send out warnings.
Eight journals have been permanently discontinued in Scopus (Discontinuation). Four more have changed their editorial policies to such an extent that the database could no longer confirm their compliance with standards (Journal change policy). In total, there are twelve journals from eight countries, and their authors were not notified.
What does this mean in practice:
— An article submitted to a journal before expulsion may not be counted toward the evaluation;
— publication in a discontinued journal — grounds for rejection during the dissertation defense;
— Grants and academic titles tied to Scopus publications are also at risk.
Our monitoring for 2024–2026 confirms that 42 of the 48 journals we identified as high-risk were officially delisted. In today’s academic environment, the authors who survive are those who make decisions based on data, not on hopes. Checking a journal before submission is not an unnecessary precaution. It is the bare minimum.
Thirty-seven journals have been removed in two months—and each of them was once “in Scopus” as well.
We do not simply publish articles. We select journals in a way that ensures the publication will be counted — at attestation, dissertation defence, and grant applications.
from writing to indexing;
no risk of exclusion.
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