We take transparency seriously and are committed to protecting the integrity of our editorial and publication process. We ask all authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any competing interests that could reasonably be seen to influence how a manuscript is prepared, reviewed, or published.
Having a competing interest doesn't automatically rule out a manuscript from publication. What really matters is disclosure — once those interests are out in the open, editors, reviewers, and readers can evaluate the work with a clear, honest understanding of the full picture.
What Counts as a Competing Interest
Competing interests can be financial or non-financial, and may include (but aren't limited to):
Employment, consultancy work, advisory roles, honoraria, salaries, grants, or any other financial support from organizations that could benefit from — or be affected by — the published work.
Ownership of stocks, shares, or other financial investments connected to the subject of the manuscript.
Ownership of, or pending applications for, patents, copyrights, or other intellectual property tied to the research being reported.
Institutional affiliations, leadership roles, or memberships in organizations or advocacy groups whose interests overlap with the manuscript's subject matter.
Personal, academic, political, religious, or ideological relationships and beliefs that could reasonably be seen as shaping the research or how it's interpreted.
Financial or non-financial relationships with commercial entities — including pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, or other companies that sponsor clinical trials, laboratory studies, field studies, or related research. Authors should describe the nature of any such relationship clearly and completely.
Disclosure at the Time of Submission
Every author is responsible for declaring any relevant competing interests when submitting a manuscript. The corresponding author carries the added responsibility of making sure these disclosures are complete and accurately reflect the situation of every co-author involved.
Editors and reviewers are held to the same standard. They too must declare any competing interest that could compromise their objectivity. If a significant conflict exists, that individual steps back from handling or reviewing the manuscript in question, and another editor or reviewer takes their place — this way, the fairness and independence of the review process is preserved.
How Disclosures Appear in the Published Article
When competing interests are disclosed, they're included in the published article under a dedicated "Competing Interests or Conflict of interests" section. If no such interests exist, the article carries this statement instead:
"The authors declare that they have no competing interests. or None"
Consequences of Non-Disclosure
Failing to disclose a relevant competing interest can lead to editorial action — this may include rejecting the manuscript, publishing a correction, or, in more serious cases, retracting the article after publication. Any such action will be handled in line with the journal's broader publishing ethics policies.
