Conflict of interest

Conflicts of interest can be personal, academic, political, professional, commercial, financial, or other in nature. These conflicts may arise when authors, section editors, or reviewers have interests that could influence or interfere with the preparation, evaluation, or publication of manuscripts. It is mandatory for all parties involved in the editorial process to declare any potential conflicts of interest identified.

Declaration by Reviewers: Reviewers must declare, upon accepting the review, the absence of any conflicts of interest related to the manuscript to be evaluated. This includes ensuring that they do not previously identify the authorship of the manuscript. If they identify a potential conflict after accepting the review, they must immediately inform the editorial team.

Declaration by Authors: Authors must complete the Conflict of Interest Declaration, where they are responsible for acknowledging and disclosing potential conflicts of interest that may interfere with the blind peer-review process.

They must identify: Funding sources received for the research or preparation of the manuscript. Personal or professional connections related to the submitted work. Other relationships that could be interpreted as influencing the research outcome or analysis.

External Regulations and Transparency: The journal, aligning with the normative practice Disclosure of Financial and Non-Financial Relationships and Activities, and Conflicts of Interest of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors - ICMJE, which details both financial and non-financial relationships that may influence the editorial process. All conflict of interest declarations must be published alongside the manuscript, promoting greater transparency and integrity in the editorial process.

Conflict Management Procedures:
1. The editorial team will analyze all submitted conflict of interest declarations.
2. If a significant conflict is identified, the journal may appoint new reviewers or take other necessary measures to ensure impartiality.
3. The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts if conflicts of interest are not properly disclosed or are deemed to compromise the scientific integrity of the work.