Conflict of Interest Policy

Conflict of Interest Policy for Editors, Reviewers, and Authors

For Editors

Editors must recuse themselves from all editorial decisions on manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest, including: current or recent collaboration with an author (within 3 years); personal, professional, or financial relationship with an author; affiliation with the same institution as the corresponding author; a competing manuscript under preparation on the same topic; or any other circumstance that could compromise objectivity. When a conflict exists, the manuscript will be assigned to another qualified editor.

For Reviewers

Reviewers are required to immediately declare any potential conflict of interest to the editor and decline the review if any exists. Conflicts include: co-authorship with any author within the past 5 years; current or recent collaboration; personal relationships; employment or financial relationships; and known strong disagreements about the topic. Undisclosed conflicts discovered post-publication will trigger a post-publication investigation.

For Authors

All authors must disclose, at the time of submission, any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the work. This includes funding sources, employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership, patents, expert testimony, and membership of organizations relevant to the research. A Conflict of Interest statement must be included in every submitted manuscript. If no conflicts exist, authors must state: 'The authors declare no conflicts of interest.'