Conflict of Interest Policy
The International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health (IJMSPH) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and objectivity in the publication process. All participants in the publication process—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—are required to disclose and appropriately manage any conflicts of interest.
1. Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest (COI) exists when personal, financial, or professional relationships may influence, or be perceived to influence, the objectivity, integrity, or interpretation of research. Conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived.
2. Author Responsibilities
2.1 Disclosure
Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest at the time of submission. This includes financial relationships, affiliations, or involvement with organizations that could influence the work.
2.2 Funding Transparency
All sources of funding, including grants and financial support, must be clearly stated in the manuscript.
2.3 Statement in Manuscript
A conflict of interest statement must be included in the published article, even if no conflicts exist (e.g., “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”).
3. Editor Responsibilities
3.1 Impartial Handling
Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on scientific merit and must not be influenced by personal or financial interests.
3.2 Recusal
Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.
3.3 Fair Decision-Making
Where necessary, editors may seek additional independent reviews to ensure unbiased decisions.
4. Reviewer Responsibilities
4.1 Disclosure
Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest before accepting a review assignment.
4.2 Recusal
Reviewers should decline to review manuscripts where conflicts may compromise objectivity.
4.3 Confidentiality
All manuscript information must be treated as confidential and not used for personal advantage.
5. Publisher Responsibilities
The publisher ensures that:
- Editorial decisions are independent of commercial or financial influences
- Any conflicts involving editorial staff or stakeholders are disclosed and managed transparently
6. Management of Conflicts
When a conflict of interest is identified, IJMSPH will take appropriate action, which may include:
- Disclosure in the published article
- Reassignment of editors or reviewers
- Additional peer review
- Rejection or correction of the manuscript, where necessary
7. Policy Review
This policy is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure alignment with international best practices and ethical standards in scholarly publishing.
