Conflict of Interest Policy

Introduction

At TISJ, we are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in the publication process. In accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, this Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy provides clear guidance on how conflicts of interest should be managed by authors, reviewers, and editors to ensure the integrity, transparency, and fairness of the editorial and peer review processes.

A conflict of interest (COI) arises when an individual’s personal, financial, or professional relationships may bias or influence their decisions, potentially compromising the objectivity of the research process or publication. This policy aims to prevent any bias and safeguard the credibility of the journal.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest occurs when an individual's personal, financial, or professional interests, or relationships with others, could influence or appear to influence their objectivity in making editorial decisions or reviewing manuscripts. Such interests include, but are not limited to:

• Financial relationships (e.g., funding from organizations or companies that may benefit from the publication of the manuscript).

• Personal relationships (e.g., family, friends, or colleagues involved with the authors or the research).

• Professional relationships (e.g., collaborators or competitors in the same research area).

• Institutional relationships (e.g., institutional support for the research or potential organizational conflicts).

Responsibilities of Authors

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose all financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could influence their research findings or the interpretation of their work. This disclosure should be made at the time of submission and should cover relationships that existed during the period of manuscript preparation and submission. Also, it should be at the end of the manuscript after any Acknowledgements and prior to the Funding, Author Contributions, Notes (if relevant) and References, under the heading 'Conflict of Interest'. If no conflict exists, please state that 'The Author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest'.

Types of Conflicts to Disclose

Examples of conflicts of interest to be disclosed by authors include, but are not limited to:

• Financial support from government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or commercial entities (e.g., companies or industry groups).

• Employment, consulting, or advisory roles with entities that could benefit from the publication.

• Stock ownership, patents, or other financial stakes in companies with a direct interest in the research.

• Personal or professional relationships with authors or entities related to the manuscript.

Clear and Transparent Reporting

Authors should clearly indicate their conflicts of interest in the appropriate section of the manuscript (e.g., in a dedicated “Conflict of Interest” section). If no conflicts of interest exist, authors must include a statement affirming this.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may bias their judgment of the manuscript. Reviewers are required to inform the editor-in-chief if they have any competing interests with the authors, research, or related work.

Impartiality

Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts based solely on their scientific merit, quality, and relevance to the field, and not on personal, professional, or financial interests.

Recusal in Case of Conflict

If a reviewer has a potential conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of the review, they must recuse themselves from reviewing the manuscript and inform the editor. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Close professional or personal relationships with the authors.

• A history of collaboration with the authors or involvement in similar work.

• Financial interests in companies that could benefit from the research results.

Responsibilities of Editors

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Editors must also disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their editorial decisions. This includes financial, professional, or personal interests that might impair their impartiality when handling manuscripts.

Impartial Editorial Decisions

Editors must make editorial decisions based solely on the scientific merit of the manuscript, adhering to the principles of fairness, transparency, and objectivity. Editors should avoid editorial involvement in manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest, or they should recuse themselves from the decision-making process.

Editorial Board

Editorial board members must declare any potential conflicts of interest at the time of their appointment and annually thereafter. They should avoid participating in decisions or reviews where a conflict exists.

Handling COI in Editorial Process

Editors should take appropriate measures to mitigate the impact of any disclosed conflicts of interest, including delegating the handling of a manuscript to another editor if a conflict arises.

Managing Conflicts of Interest in the Publication Process

Review and Disclosure

The editorial team will carefully review any disclosed conflicts of interest and take necessary actions to manage them. If a conflict of interest is disclosed, the editor may:

• Assign the manuscript to a different reviewer or editor.

• Ensure that the review process remains impartial by utilizing external reviewers or seeking additional opinions if necessary.

Transparent Reporting

All disclosures of conflicts of interest by authors, reviewers, and editors will be clearly indicated in the final published article. If the authors have declared no conflicts of interest, a statement to that effect will also be included.

Handling Undisclosed Conflicts

If an undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, the journal will investigate the issue and take appropriate corrective action. This may include issuing a correction, retraction, or expression of concern.

Institutional Conflicts of Interest

Institutional Relationships

If the journal has financial or institutional relationships with the authors, their institutions, or the research funding entities, these relationships will be disclosed in the editorial process. Editors will manage such conflicts in a transparent and impartial manner.

Ensuring Editorial Independence

The journal is committed to ensuring that its editorial decisions are independent of any external influence, including institutional or commercial conflicts. The editorial team is free to make decisions based solely on the quality of the research.

Review and Monitoring

Regular Monitoring

The editorial team will regularly review the effectiveness of the conflict of interest policy to ensure that conflicts are being properly disclosed and managed. This may involve periodic audits or surveys of authors, reviewers, and editors.

Policy Updates

The Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy will be updated periodically in response to evolving best practices and in accordance with changes to COPE guidelines. Any updates to the policy will be communicated to authors, reviewers, and editors.

Conclusion

At TISJ, we are committed to ensuring the highest standards of ethical conduct in every aspect of the publication process. By adhering to the principles outlined in this Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy, we aim to preserve the integrity of the scientific record, promote transparency, and foster trust in our publication.

All authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to familiarize themselves with this policy and comply with its guidelines. Failure to disclose conflicts of interest or the failure to adhere to this policy may result in the rejection of manuscripts, withdrawal of accepted articles, or other corrective actions.

For further questions or to report concerns related to conflicts of interest, please contact the editorial office at journal@topitalianscientists.org.