Conflict of Interest Policy
The National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology (NJPPP) is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, independence, and objectivity of scholarly research and publication.
A conflict of interest (COI) may arise when personal, professional, financial, institutional, or other interests could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, interpretation of results, manuscript evaluation, or editorial decision-making.
NJPPP requires authors, editors, reviewers, and other individuals involved in the publication process to disclose relevant conflicts of interest and to take appropriate measures to manage them.
The existence of a conflict of interest does not necessarily mean that research or a manuscript is unsuitable for publication. The purpose of disclosure and management is to ensure transparency and allow potential sources of bias to be appropriately assessed.
1. Types of Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest may be:
1.1. Financial
Financial conflicts may include, but are not limited to:
research funding or grants;
employment or consultancy;
honoraria or speaking fees;
patents or patent applications;
ownership of stocks or other financial interests;
royalties;
paid advisory relationships;
commercial relationships with organizations that may benefit from the publication; and
other financial interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the work.
1.2. Personal or Professional
Personal or professional conflicts may include:
close personal relationships;
professional collaborations;
academic competition;
supervisory or mentoring relationships;
disputes or other relationships with authors;
institutional relationships; and
other circumstances that could reasonably affect impartiality.
1.3. Institutional or Other Interests
Conflicts may also arise from institutional affiliations, organizational responsibilities, intellectual commitments, or other interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or editorial process.
2. Responsibilities of Authors
2.1. Disclosure
All authors must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that could reasonably be considered relevant to the submitted work.
Disclosure should be made at the time of submission and updated if circumstances change during the editorial process.
The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all authors have reviewed and approved the conflict-of-interest declaration.
2.2. Financial Relationships
Authors must disclose relevant financial relationships with organizations or entities that could have an interest in the research, its findings, or its publication.
Such relationships may include employment, consultancy, research funding, grants, honoraria, patents, royalties, advisory roles, or other relevant financial interests.
2.3. Funding Disclosure
Authors must provide a clear statement identifying all sources of financial or material support for the research.
Where applicable, authors should also disclose the role of the funder in:
study design;
data collection;
analysis;
interpretation of results;
manuscript preparation; and
the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
If the funder had no involvement in these activities, authors should state this where appropriate.
2.4. Non-Financial Conflicts
Authors should disclose relevant non-financial interests that could reasonably influence the interpretation or presentation of the research.
Examples may include strong professional affiliations, advisory roles, personal relationships, academic competition, or other interests relevant to the work.
2.5. Conflict-of-Interest Statement
A conflict-of-interest statement should be included in the manuscript according to the journal's Instructions for Authors.
Where no relevant conflict exists, authors should provide an appropriate declaration, such as:
“The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.”
2.6. Undisclosed Conflicts
If a relevant conflict is identified after submission or publication, the journal may request clarification or additional disclosure.
Where necessary, NJPPP may publish a correction or other editorial notice to ensure that the published record accurately reflects relevant conflicts of interest.
3. Responsibilities of Editors and Editorial Board Members
3.1. Disclosure and Recusal
Editors and editorial board members must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest relating to a manuscript they are responsible for handling.
An editor should not handle a manuscript where a conflict could reasonably compromise, or appear to compromise, impartiality.
3.2. Personal and Professional Relationships
Editors should normally recuse themselves from manuscripts authored by:
themselves;
close collaborators;
current or recent colleagues;
close personal associates;
individuals with whom they have a significant professional or personal relationship; or
individuals involved in a significant academic or professional dispute with the editor.
Where appropriate, an independent editor should be assigned to the manuscript.
3.3. Institutional Conflicts
An editor should not make the editorial decision on a manuscript where their institutional relationship could reasonably create a conflict of interest.
An alternative qualified editor may be assigned in such circumstances.
3.4. Editor-in-Chief Conflicts
If the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict of interest concerning a manuscript, the manuscript should be assigned to an appropriate independent editor who will oversee the editorial and peer-review process and make the decision without involvement from the conflicted Editor-in-Chief.
The Editor-in-Chief should not influence the editorial decision in such cases.
3.5. Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions must be based on the scientific and scholarly merits of the manuscript and must not be influenced by:
commercial interests;
article processing charges;
advertising;
sponsorship;
institutional pressure;
personal relationships; or
other non-scientific considerations.
4. Responsibilities of Reviewers
4.1. Identification of Conflicts
Reviewers must consider whether they have any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest before accepting an invitation to review a manuscript.
4.2. Disclosure and Recusal
Reviewers should decline an invitation when a conflict could reasonably affect their ability to provide an impartial assessment.
If a conflict becomes apparent after accepting the assignment, the reviewer must notify the editorial office promptly.
The editor will determine whether the reviewer should continue or be replaced.
4.3. Examples of Reviewer Conflicts
Potential conflicts may include:
recent collaboration with one or more authors;
employment at the same institution;
close personal relationships;
direct academic competition;
financial interests related to the manuscript;
involvement in a competing research project; or
other circumstances that could reasonably compromise impartiality.
4.4. Confidentiality
Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and must not use unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal or professional advantage.
Because NJPPP follows a double-blind peer-review process, reviewers must also respect the confidentiality and anonymity of the authors.
5. Management of Conflicts of Interest
The identification of a conflict does not automatically result in rejection of a manuscript.
NJPPP evaluates conflicts on a case-by-case basis and may use one or more of the following measures:
disclosure of the conflict;
reassignment of the manuscript to another editor;
replacement of a reviewer;
appointment of an independent reviewer;
additional peer review;
publication of a relevant disclosure or editorial statement;
correction of the published record; or
other appropriate editorial action.
The objective is to protect the integrity and independence of the research and editorial process.
6. Conflicts Involving the Publisher
The publisher of NJPPP respects the editorial independence of the Editor-in-Chief and editorial team.
The publisher must not interfere with editorial decisions based on scientific or scholarly considerations.
Where a conflict involving the publisher or another person associated with the journal could affect editorial independence, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that the manuscript is handled independently.
7. Conflicts of Interest and Peer Review
Disclosure and management of conflicts of interest are part of NJPPP's commitment to a fair and rigorous peer-review process.
The journal's double-blind peer-review model is designed to reduce potential bias by keeping the identities of authors and reviewers confidential during peer review.
However, double-blind review does not eliminate all potential conflicts of interest. Editors and reviewers remain responsible for identifying and declaring relevant conflicts.
8. Post-Publication Conflicts
If a previously undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, NJPPP will assess the matter and determine whether corrective action is required.
Depending on the circumstances, the journal may:
request an author disclosure;
publish a correction or clarification;
publish an editorial notice;
investigate whether the conflict affected the reliability or interpretation of the article; or
take other appropriate action where necessary.
A conflict of interest alone does not necessarily invalidate the research or require retraction.
9. Appeals and Complaints Concerning Conflicts of Interest
Authors, reviewers, editors, or other relevant parties may raise concerns regarding undisclosed or improperly managed conflicts of interest.
Such concerns should be submitted to the editorial office with sufficient information to allow an appropriate assessment.
Where a complaint concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the matter should be handled by an independent designated editor or other appropriate authority.
NJPPP will seek to address such concerns fairly, confidentially, and without prejudice.
10. Transparency and Accountability
NJPPP is committed to ensuring that relevant conflicts of interest are disclosed in a manner that allows readers and other stakeholders to assess potential sources of bias.
The journal may request additional information or documentation where necessary to evaluate a declared or suspected conflict.
Authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to cooperate with reasonable requests concerning conflict-of-interest disclosures.
11. Policy Review
NJPPP periodically reviews this policy to ensure that it remains consistent with recognized standards of responsible scholarly publishing and research integrity.
Updates may be made when necessary to reflect developments in publication ethics, research practices, and editorial standards.
Commitment to Transparency
NJPPP considers transparent disclosure and appropriate management of conflicts of interest essential to maintaining confidence in the scientific literature.
All authors, editors, reviewers, editorial board members, and the publisher share responsibility for protecting the independence, objectivity, and integrity of the publication process.
