Conflicts of Interest & Disclosure

Policy Statement

All authors, reviewers, and editors involved with a manuscript must disclose any financial or personal relationship that could reasonably be perceived to influence their objectivity, including funding sources, employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership, and other financial interests. Authors disclose using a standard disclosure form at submission; disclosures relevant to the published research are published with the article.

Reviewers and editors with a conflict of interest regarding a specific manuscript must recuse themselves from handling it. The Editor-in-Chief adjudicates disputed or unclear conflict-of-interest cases and maintains oversight of disclosure compliance across the journal.

1. Scope and Applicability

This policy applies to every author, peer reviewer, section editor, and the Editor-in-Chief, for each manuscript they are involved with, from submission through the period after publication.

2. Definitions

Conflict of Interest (COI): A situation in which a person's financial, personal, or professional relationships could reasonably be seen to compromise their objectivity in evaluating or handling a manuscript.

Disclosure: A formal, written statement identifying any relationship that could amount to a conflict of interest.

Recusal: A reviewer or editor's formal withdrawal from evaluating or handling a specific manuscript because of a disclosed conflict.