Conflict of Interest Policy
Last updated 1/4/2025
1. Introduction
The Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan is dedicated to ensuring integrity, transparency, and ethical practices in scholarly research and publication.
This Conflict of Interest Policy aligns with the standards established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and aims to properly identify, disclose, and address any conflicts of interest that may arise among those participating in the publication process.
2. Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest exists when an individual's personal or financial interests could interfere with their professional judgment, risking the neutrality and integrity of their work in research and publication.
3. Scope
This policy is relevant to everyone participating in the publishing process, such as authors, peer reviewers, editors, and editorial board members.
4. Disclosure Requirements
4.1 Authors:
Writers must reveal any financial or non-financial interests that might be seen as a possible conflict of interest regarding their submitted work. This statement should be added to the manuscript, ideally in the acknowledgments or a dedicated declaration section.
4.2 Reviewers:
Reviewers should disclose any possible conflicts of interest that might compromise their impartiality and fairness in the review process.
Reviewers should refuse to assess manuscripts if they identify any potential conflict of interest.
4.3 Editors and Editorial Board Members:
Editors and members of the editorial board should reveal any competing interests that could affect their impartiality in making editorial judgments.
Editorial conflicts of interest should be disclosed and appropriately managed.
5. Handling Conflicts of Interest
5.1 During Review Process: If a conflict of interest is identified during the review process, the editorial office may assign an alternative reviewer. Authors may be asked to address and provide clarification on disclosed conflicts of interest.
5.2 Editorial Decision-Making: Editors and editorial board members with conflicts of interest will recuse themselves from decision-making processes related to the affected manuscript. Alternative editorial arrangements will be made to ensure impartial decision-making.
5.3 Publication Decisions: Decisions regarding acceptance, rejection, or modification of a manuscript will be based on the merit of the work and its scientific and ethical validity.
6. Transparency
The disclosure of any conflicts of interest by authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial board members will be openly acknowledged. If there are no conflicts of interest, this will also be clearly indicated.
7. Training and Education
Everyone participating in the publication process will receive guidance on recognizing and handling conflicts of interest. Workshops will be conducted to improve knowledge and awareness on the matter.
8. Periodic Review and Updates
This policy will undergo regular reviews to maintain its applicability and efficiency. Adjustments will be implemented as needed to reflect evolving industry standards, regulatory requirements, or ethical concerns.
This Conflict of Interest Policy underscores Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan commitment to upholding the integrity of the publication process and fostering trust among readers, authors, reviewers, and editors.
