Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose conflicts of interest at the earliest possible opportunity - for example, when a manuscript is submitted or a review assignment is accepted. A conflict of interest is defined as any competing personal, professional, or financial interest that may introduce bias into the publishing process of the journal.
Examples of conflicts of interest:
- financial support from commercial enterprises that have a vested interest in the results;
- personal relationships that would compromise objectivity during review or publication;
- professional competition that would prevent objective evaluation of a submitted manuscript.
Disclosure of a conflict of interest by an author does not necessarily mean that a manuscript will be denied acceptance to the journal. If an author is found to have a conflict of interest that was not disclosed during the submission and review process, the editors will identify an appropriate remedy, which may include a published correction or a retraction.
