A Declaration of Conflicting Interests policy applies to a specific policy. A journal may expect a conflict of interest statement or conflict of interest disclosure from a presenting or publishing author.
The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) declares in its Guidelines on Good Publication Practice (2003) that:
'Conflicts of interest occur when authors, reviewers, or editors have concerns that are not fully clear, and that may affect their decisions on whatever is published. They have been defined as those that would create a thoughtful reader feel misled or deceived when announced later.'
Scholars, researchers, and professionals may have possible conflicts of interest that could impact – or could be seen to – have an impact on their research. As a result, any Lifescience Global journals require a precise declaration of conflicting interests allowing a statement to be carried within the paginated published article.
A possible conflicting interest might result from relationships, allegiances, or hostilities to particular groups, organizations, or interests, which may impact one's judgments or procedures excessively. The subject is susceptible when such claims are individual and/or may result in personal gain.
Articles will be judged honestly and will not certainly be discarded when any competing interests are declared.
Precedents of conflicts of interest might incorporate the following, although it is not an exhaustive listing:
- Producing collected fees for advising.
- Holding obtained research funding.
- Having been applied by a relevant organization.
Owning assets or shares in an organization that the publication of your paper might influence.
Having acquired funds compensating you for visiting a relevant symposium or talk.
If additional interests that the thoughtful reader might consider have changed your research, you may also require to declare them.
*Note that it is not required that details of financial methods be revealed when a competing interest is declared
Author Assurances Concerning Conflicting Interests
In your Journal Publishing Contributor Agreement, you will be obligated to authenticate that:
- All kinds of financial support, including pharmaceutical organization support, are acknowledged in your Contribution.
- Commercial/financial relationships might give an opinion of conflict of interest connected to the Contribution are disclosed in a covering note following the Contribution and will be addressing such possible conflicts of interest with the Editor as to whether disclosure of this knowledge with the published Contribution is to be conducted in the journal.
- You have not confirmed an agreement with any supporter of the research published in the Contribution that restricts you from publishing both positive and negative outcomes or prevents you from publishing this research without the sponsor's former approval.
- You have checked the manuscript submission guidelines to see whether the journal requires a Declaration of Conflicting Interests and have complied with the requirements specified where such a policy exists.
How do I check the Manuscript Submission Guidelines to see if the Journal I am Submitting or Publishing Requires a Declaration?
Please refer to the Manuscript Submission Guidelines on the journals page to check the policy of the Lifescience Global journal in which you are submitting or publishing to ensure you comply with any specific requirements needed.
Editor Obligations Regarding Conflicting Interests
The same obligations equally apply to editors or guest editors writing an editorial published in the journal.
How Do I Make A Declaration?
Submitting your article in a journal requires you to make a Declaration of Conflicting Interests, include such declaration at the end of the manuscript after Acknowledgements and before the Funding Acknowledgement, Notes (if relevant), and References, under the heading 'Declaration of Conflicting Interest.' If no conflict exists, please state that 'The Author(s) declare(s) no conflict of interest.'
*Please note, a Conflict of Interest Statement will not appear in journals that do not require a declaration of conflicting interests. Where a declaration is necessary, the disclosure information must be specific and include any financial connection that all authors of the study have with any sponsoring organization and the for-profit concerns the organization serves.
Additional Awareness
You may find the following helpful sources to refer to for more information on Conflict of Interest procedures, current codes of practices, and more general good practice about journal publication ethics:
- Visit a Common Standard for Conflict of Interest Disclosure published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
- Visit the Guidelines published on good publication and the Code of Conduct by the Committee of Publication Ethics (COPE).
- Visit the Guidelines published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
