Conflict of Interest Policy
Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any circumstance that may constitute a conflict of interest as soon as they become aware of it, preferably at the time the manuscript is submitted or when they agree to take part in the evaluation process.
A conflict of interest is understood as any personal, professional, or financial connection that could, directly or indirectly, compromise the impartiality expected throughout the editorial workflow. Situations that may represent a conflict include, among others: receiving financial support, sponsorship, or benefits from organizations with a vested interest in the study’s outcomes; maintaining personal relationships that could undermine neutrality during analysis, review, or editorial decisions; and participating in professional disputes or competitive contexts that might hinder an unbiased assessment of submitted work.
Declaring a conflict of interest does not automatically lead to the rejection of a manuscript. However, if a relevant conflict is later found to have been omitted during submission or review, the editor will take appropriate action, which may include issuing corrections or notices, or, in more serious cases, retracting the published article.
