CONFLICT OF INTEREST & FUNDING DISCLOSURE POLICY

The Journal of Pak International Medical College (JPIMC) is committed to maintaining transparency, objectivity, and integrity throughout the editorial and publication process. Authors, reviewers, editors, and Editorial Board members are required to disclose any financial or non-financial relationships that could influence, or be perceived to influence, the conduct, interpretation, or publication of research.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit and are free from inappropriate influence.

Purpose

This policy aims to:

  • Promote transparency in scholarly publishing.
  • Protect the integrity of published research.
  • Identify and appropriately manage potential conflicts of interest.
  • Ensure unbiased editorial and peer-review decisions.
  • Strengthen public trust in published research.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as scientific integrity or patient welfare) may be influenced, or appear to be influenced, by a secondary interest, including financial gain, personal relationships, institutional affiliations, or academic competition.

The existence of a conflict does not necessarily preclude publication, but it must be disclosed and appropriately managed.

Financial Conflicts of Interest

Examples include:

  • Research grants
  • Employment
  • Consultancy fees
  • Honoraria
  • Speaker bureau participation
  • Advisory board membership
  • Stock ownership or shareholding
  • Royalties
  • Patents or patent applications
  • Paid expert testimony
  • Travel support
  • Gifts or equipment provided by commercial organizations

Non-Financial Conflicts of Interest

Examples include:

  • Personal relationships
  • Family relationships
  • Academic competition
  • Institutional affiliations
  • Professional rivalries
  • Political or religious interests
  • Intellectual beliefs that may influence interpretation of results

Author Responsibilities

Authors must:

  • Disclose all financial support for the research.
  • Declare all potential conflicts of interest.
  • Describe the role of the funding organization, if any.
  • Confirm whether the sponsor influenced study design, data collection, analysis, manuscript preparation, or publication decisions.

If no conflicts exist, authors should state:

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Funding Disclosure

All sources of financial support must be reported.

The Funding Statement should include:

  • Name of funding agency.
  • Grant number (if applicable).
  • Sponsoring institution.
  • Research project number (where applicable).

Example:

This study was supported by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (Grant No. HEC-2026-001).

If no funding was received:

This research received no external funding.

Sponsor's Role

Authors should clearly state whether the funding agency had any role in:

  • Study design
  • Data collection
  • Data analysis
  • Data interpretation
  • Manuscript preparation
  • Decision to submit the manuscript for publication

Example:

The funding agency had no role in the design of the study, data collection, analysis, interpretation of results, or preparation of the manuscript.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers should disclose any conflicts of interest before accepting a review assignment.

Reviewers should decline invitations if they have:

  • Financial interests related to the manuscript.
  • Collaborative relationships with the authors.
  • Personal relationships that may influence objectivity.
  • Competitive or institutional conflicts.

Editor Responsibilities

Editors should avoid handling manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.

Where necessary, manuscripts should be reassigned to another editor to maintain fairness and editorial independence.

Editors must not use unpublished information for personal or professional advantage.

Editorial Board Members

Editorial Board members must disclose any conflicts before participating in editorial decisions.

Board members should not influence decisions involving manuscripts in which they have a personal, professional, or financial interest.

Institutional Conflicts

Where the journal's publisher, editors, or Editorial Board members are affiliated with the same institution as the authors, independent editorial oversight will be implemented to ensure impartiality.

Undisclosed Conflicts

Failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest may result in:

  • Request for clarification.
  • Manuscript rejection.
  • Publication of a correction.
  • Retraction of the article.
  • Notification of the author's institution or funding body where appropriate.

Transparency Statement

JPIMC is committed to transparent reporting of all financial and non-financial relationships that may influence research findings or editorial decisions.

Conflict of interest disclosures are published with the final article to allow readers to evaluate the research in an informed manner.

Standard Statements

No Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Funded Research

This study was supported by ______________________________ (Grant Number: ____________________).

Editorial Workflow

 
Manuscript Submission
        │
        ▼
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
        │
        ▼
Funding Verification
        │
        ▼
Editorial Assessment
        │
        ▼
Peer Review
        │
        ▼
Editorial Decision
        │
        ▼
Publication with COI & Funding Statements
 

Commitment to Transparency

JPIMC is committed to ensuring that all published research is evaluated fairly and transparently. Proper disclosure of funding sources and competing interests protects the integrity of scientific communication and strengthens confidence in published research.