Disclosure and Management of Conflicts of Interest Policy

1. Policy Statement

The journal is committed to maintaining transparency, editorial independence, fairness, and integrity throughout the scholarly publishing process. In accordance with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), all authors, peer reviewers, editors, editorial staff, and other individuals involved in the publication process are required to disclose and appropriately manage any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

A conflict of interest arises when personal, financial, professional, institutional, academic, or other relationships or interests could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, an individual's judgment, objectivity, or responsibilities in the preparation, evaluation, editorial handling, or publication of a manuscript.

The existence of a conflict of interest does not necessarily indicate misconduct. However, failure to disclose or appropriately manage a relevant conflict may undermine confidence in the peer-review process and the integrity of the published scholarly record.

The journal requires transparent disclosure and applies appropriate measures to ensure that conflicts of interest do not compromise the impartiality of peer review or editorial decisions.

2. Disclosure and Management of Conflicts of Interest by Authors

2.1. Disclosure Requirements

All authors must disclose any financial and non-financial interests that may be relevant to the submitted work or that could reasonably be perceived as influencing its findings, interpretation, or conclusions.

Relevant interests may include, but are not limited to:

  • Financial interests: research funding, grants, employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership, patents, royalties, or other financial benefits.

  • Professional and institutional interests: affiliations, institutional responsibilities, or professional relationships that may affect the independence of the research.

  • Personal relationships: personal relationships or other circumstances that may influence the conduct or reporting of the research.

  • Academic and intellectual interests: competing research interests, intellectual commitments, or other academic relationships that may reasonably be perceived as affecting objectivity.

  • Other competing interests: any additional circumstances that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or its publication.

Authors must disclose all relevant sources of financial support and describe the role of each funder, where applicable, in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

2.2. Declaration in the Manuscript

Authors must include a conflict-of-interest statement in their submitted manuscript. If no relevant conflicts exist, the following declaration should be used:

"The authors declare no conflicts of interest."

Where conflicts exist, authors must describe them clearly and accurately. Disclosures should provide sufficient information to enable the editor and readers to assess their relevance to the published work.

2.3. Responsibility for Disclosure

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors have been informed of the journal's disclosure requirements and that the conflict-of-interest statement accurately reflects the interests of all authors.

Authors must promptly notify the editor if a relevant conflict is identified or arises after submission. If a previously undisclosed conflict is identified after publication, the authors must cooperate with the journal in assessing the matter and determining whether a correction or other editorial action is necessary.

3. Disclosure and Management of Conflicts of Interest by Peer Reviewers

3.1. Disclosure Before Accepting a Review

Peer reviewers must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest when responding to a review invitation and whenever a relevant conflict becomes apparent during the review process.

Conflicts may include financial interests, personal relationships, professional or institutional affiliations, academic rivalries, intellectual commitments, direct competition, or current or recent research collaborations with the authors.

As a general safeguard, reviewers should decline a review when they are employed at the same institution as an author or have been a mentor, mentee, close collaborator, or joint grant holder with an author within the preceding three years. Other circumstances may also require recusal, depending on their nature and potential effect on impartiality.

When uncertain whether a relationship constitutes a conflict, reviewers should consult the editor before proceeding.

3.2. Recusal and Replacement

A reviewer who has a conflict that may compromise, or reasonably be perceived to compromise, their impartiality must decline the invitation or withdraw from the review process. The editor will appoint an alternative reviewer when necessary.

The decision to retain or replace a reviewer must prioritize the fairness and integrity of the peer-review process.

3.3. Confidentiality and Responsible Use of Information

Manuscripts and all related materials received for review must be treated as confidential. Reviewers must not share, distribute, or discuss manuscript content with unauthorized individuals without the editor's permission.

Unpublished data, ideas, methods, findings, and other privileged information obtained through peer review must not be used for personal, professional, financial, or competitive advantage without the express written consent of the relevant author.

Reviewers must provide objective, evidence-based, and constructive assessments, identify relevant uncited work where appropriate, and promptly inform the editor of any suspected plagiarism, substantial overlap, or other potential publication ethics concerns.

4. Disclosure and Management of Conflicts of Interest by Editors and Editorial Staff

4.1. Disclosure of Conflicts

Editors, editorial board members, and editorial staff must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could affect their responsibilities in handling, reviewing, or making decisions about a manuscript.

Relevant circumstances include, but are not limited to, financial interests, personal relationships, institutional affiliations, current or recent collaborations, academic competition, involvement in the research, and other relationships that may compromise editorial independence.

4.2. Recusal and Independent Editorial Handling

An editor or editorial staff member who has a relevant conflict of interest must not participate in editorial deliberations or decisions concerning the manuscript.

The conflicted individual must promptly inform the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriate independent editorial authority and withdraw from the relevant editorial process. The manuscript must be reassigned to an independent editor who has no relevant conflict of interest.

Where the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict, the manuscript must be handled by an independent editor or another authorized individual who can make decisions without the involvement of the conflicted Editor-in-Chief.

Submissions authored by the Editor-in-Chief, an editor, or an editorial board member must be handled independently, with the submitting individual excluded from the editorial decision-making process. The journal must ensure that such submissions undergo the same applicable peer-review standards as other manuscripts.

4.3. Confidentiality and Editorial Independence

Editors and editorial staff must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, reviewer reports, author information, and editorial communications.

Unpublished information or ideas obtained through editorial handling must not be used for personal or professional advantage without the express written consent of the relevant author.

Editorial decisions must be based on the manuscript's scholarly merit, originality, methodological rigor, relevance, ethical compliance, and suitability for the journal. Decisions must not be influenced by financial interests, personal relationships, institutional affiliations, commercial pressures, or other competing interests.

5. Procedures for Assessing and Managing Conflicts of Interest

The journal will manage disclosed or suspected conflicts of interest through the following procedures:

  1. Identification and disclosure: Authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff must disclose relevant interests at the appropriate stage of the publication process.

  2. Assessment: The Editor-in-Chief or an authorized independent editor will assess the nature, relevance, and potential impact of the conflict on the manuscript or editorial process.

  3. Preventive action: Depending on the circumstances, the journal may request additional disclosure, replace a reviewer, reassign editorial responsibility, or implement other appropriate safeguards.

  4. Documentation: Disclosures, assessments, and decisions concerning conflicts of interest will be documented in the journal's editorial records and handled confidentially, subject to applicable disclosure and reporting obligations.

  5. Ongoing monitoring: If additional information emerges during peer review or after an editorial decision, the journal will reassess the matter and implement further measures where necessary.

  6. Transparent reporting: Relevant conflicts will be disclosed in the published article or through an appropriate editorial statement when necessary to maintain transparency and protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

The measures applied will be proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the conflict and consistent with the journal's publication ethics procedures.

6. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest and Post-Publication Action

If a previously undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after submission, during peer review, after acceptance, or following publication, the journal will assess the available information and determine an appropriate course of action.

Where necessary, the journal may request an explanation or additional documentation from the individuals concerned, consult independent experts, and seek further information from relevant institutions or organizations.

Depending on the findings and the impact on the integrity of the publication process, the journal may:

  • Request a revised or additional conflict-of-interest declaration.

  • Replace a reviewer or reassign editorial responsibility.

  • Suspend the editorial process while the matter is assessed.

  • Reject the manuscript if the conflict or associated conduct compromises its suitability for publication.

  • Publish a correction or editorial notice where additional disclosure is necessary.

  • Publish an expression of concern or retract a published article when warranted by the evidence and applicable publication ethics guidance.

Any post-publication action will be based on the available evidence and the need to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record. Retraction will not be treated as an automatic consequence of every undisclosed conflict; it will be considered when the circumstances meet the applicable criteria for retraction.

7. Conflicts of Interest Involving the Journal or Publisher

The journal and its publisher must identify and manage conflicts of interest arising from ownership, sponsorship, advertising, commercial relationships, funding arrangements, or other organizational interests that may affect editorial independence.

Editorial decisions must remain independent of commercial or financial considerations. Sponsorship, advertising, institutional affiliation, or payment of publication-related fees must not determine whether a manuscript is accepted or rejected.

The journal will maintain appropriate safeguards to separate editorial decision-making from business and organizational interests.

8. Compliance and Accountability

All authors, peer reviewers, editors, and editorial staff are expected to comply with this policy. Failure to disclose or appropriately manage a relevant conflict may constitute a breach of the journal's publication ethics requirements.

The journal will assess each case fairly and confidentially, provide relevant parties with an appropriate opportunity to respond, and take proportionate action based on the available evidence.

This policy is informed by the principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including its guidance on conflicts of interest, ethical peer review, editorial independence, and the correction of the scholarly record.

Relevant guidance: