Conflict of Interest Policy

1. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest (also known as a competing interest) refers to a situation in which professional judgment regarding research may be compromised by secondary interests, whether financial, personal, academic, or institutional. Such conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived, and failure to disclose them may undermine trust in the scientific process and the integrity of published work.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are required, upon manuscript submission, to clearly and explicitly state:
“The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest (financial, academic/professional, or personal) related to this manuscript or the review/editorial process”.

All sources of research funding must be disclosed, including the role of sponsors in the study design, data collection and analysis, manuscript preparation, and the decision to publish.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must, prior to accepting a review, inform the editors of any potential conflicts of interest that could affect their objectivity. In cases where a conflict exists, they should decline the review or recuse themselves from the evaluation process. Reviewers must not use information from the manuscript for personal benefit prior to its publication.

4. Responsibilities of Editors and Editorial Board Members

Editors and editorial board members must avoid making decisions on manuscripts in which they have personal, professional, or financial interests. In cases of potential conflict of interest, editorial responsibilities should be delegated to another member of the editorial board. Editors must ensure that manuscripts submitted by editorial board members undergo the standard peer review process, without their involvement in decision-making.

5. Handling Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

If undisclosed conflicts of interest are identified after publication, the editorial board will initiate an investigation in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Depending on the severity of the violation, actions may include issuing a correction, retracting the article, or notifying relevant institutions.

6. Transparency and Availability of Information

Conflict of interest statements will be published alongside articles to enable readers to assess potential influences on the content. The conflict-of-interest policy will be publicly available on the journal’s website and regularly updated in line with international standards.