Pacific Group of e-Journals

Conflict of Interest Policy

At Pacific Group of e-Journals (PaGe), we are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in research and publication. In accordance with the guidelines set by ICMJE, COPE, and other leading academic frameworks, we require transparency and full disclosure of any conflicts of interest that may impact the integrity and impartiality of the research published in our journals.

What Constitutes a Conflict of Interest?

A conflict of interest (COI) occurs when an individual’s professional judgment regarding a primary interest, such as the validity of research, is influenced by a secondary interest, such as financial gain, personal relationships, or academic competition. Conflicts can be financial or non-financial and may involve:

  • Employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, or paid expert testimony
  • Personal or professional relationships that could influence objectivity
  • Intellectual passion or academic rivalry that may bias interpretation of data

Authors’ Responsibilities

Authors are required to disclose any conflicts of interest that could potentially influence the content or conclusions of their manuscript. A declaration must be included within the manuscript and must specify:

  • Any financial relationships (grants, consultancies, patents, royalties, or stock ownership)
  • Any non-financial interests (personal, academic, intellectual) that could influence the work
  • The role of the funding body in the research design, data collection, analysis, or decision to publish

If no conflicts exist, authors must include a statement within the manuscript declaring: “The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.”

Reviewers’ Responsibilities

Reviewers must inform the editorial office if they have any potential conflicts that might prevent them from providing an impartial review. If a reviewer recognizes a conflict of interest during the review process, they should decline the review to ensure transparency and fairness.

Conflicts may include:

  • Personal relationships with the authors or co-authors
  • Competitive or collaborative research with the authors
  • Financial interests in the outcome of the research being reviewed

Editors’ Responsibilities

Editors are required to handle manuscripts without any influence from personal, professional, or financial relationships that could be construed as conflicts of interest. If an editor has any conflict with a submission, the manuscript will be reassigned to another editor to ensure impartiality.

Editors must:

  • Ensure peer reviewers disclose any potential conflicts
  • Maintain confidentiality about submissions, avoiding misuse of unpublished materials for personal gain
  • Recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a potential conflict exists

Transparency and Disclosure

All conflicts of interest disclosed by authors, reviewers, or editors will be published alongside the article. In cases where there are no conflicts, the following statement will be included: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

Managing Conflicts

If undisclosed conflicts are discovered after publication, corrective measures will be taken. These may include publishing a correction, retraction, or issuing a statement of concern depending on the severity of the conflict. This policy is in line with the guidelines of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

Commitment to Integrity

PaGe is committed to ensuring the integrity and transparency of the research we publish. By managing and disclosing conflicts of interest, we aim to maintain trust in the peer-review process and uphold the academic standards required by leading medical journal guidelines.

For further queries or concerns about conflicts of interest, please contact us at [email].