Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest defined as any relationship authors, reviewers or editors have, which interferes with the full and objective presentation, peer review, editorial decision-making, or publication of a manuscript. Conflicts of interest can be financial or non-financial, professional or personal, and can arise in relation to an organization or an individual.

Authors

When authors submit a manuscript of any type or format, they are responsible for disclosing all relationships and activities that might bias or be seen to bias their work (e.g. employment, consulting fees, research contracts, stock ownership, patent licenses, honoraria, advisory affiliations, etc.). WJPS is committed to following ICMJE recommendation on “Author Responsibilities—Conflicts of Interest” in authors’ conflict of interest issues. Authors are required to upload the duly filled and signed form under the additional files section, during manuscript submission. They can also send it by email to editor.wjps@gmail.com. Please follow the link to read the detailed ICMJE recommendations for disclosure of financial and non-financial relationships and activities, and conflicts of interest.

Reviewers

Reviewers must disclose to journal editors any relationships or an activity that could bias their opinions of the manuscript and should recuse them from reviewing specific manuscripts if the potential for bias exists. Reviewers must not use knowledge of the work they’re reviewing before its publication to further their own interests. Please use the review form provided at your reviewer login area to disclose the conflicts of interest.

Editors and Journal Staff

WJPS editors who make final decisions about manuscripts must have no personal, professional, or financial involvement in any of the issues they might judge. Other members of the editorial staff, if they participate in editorial decisions, must provide editors with a current description of their financial interests (as they might relate to editorial judgments) and recuse themselves from any decisions in which a conflict of interest exists. Editorial staff must not use information gained through working with manuscripts for private gain. When editors submit their own work to this journal, a colleague in the editorial office should manage the manuscript and the editor/author should recuse himself or herself from discussion and decisions about it.

Note: These policies are based upon the ICMJE recommendations.

 

Additional Information
You may find the following useful resources to refer to for more information on Conflict-of-Interest policies, existing codes of practices and more general good practice in relation to journal publication ethics:

• View the Guidelines published on good publication and the Code of Conduct by the Committee of Publication Ethics (COPE).
• View the guidelines published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).