Conflict of Interest Policy

Purpose

The Journal of Pak International Medical College (JPIMC) is committed to ensuring the integrity, transparency, and credibility of the research it publishes. To achieve this, all stakeholders—authors, reviewers, and editors—are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may influence the objectivity of the research, its review, or publication.

Definition

A conflict of interest (COI) arises when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (e.g., the validity of research or quality of peer review) may be influenced by a secondary interest (e.g., financial gain, institutional ties, or personal relationships).

Conflicts may include but are not limited to:

  • Financial: Grants, employment, consultancy, honoraria, stock ownership, royalties, or paid expert testimony.

  • Institutional: Affiliations or roles that may bias interpretation or publication.

  • Personal/Professional: Relationships, rivalries, or academic competition.

  • Ideological/Intellectual: Beliefs, theories, or commitments that could affect objectivity.

Responsibilities

Authors

  • All authors must complete a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement at submission, in accordance with ICMJE recommendations.

  • Authors must declare:

    • Sources of financial support.

    • Institutional or professional affiliations relevant to the work.

    • Any personal or competing interests.

  • If no conflicts exist, the authors must state:
    “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

Reviewers

  • Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts before accepting a review assignment.

  • Reviewers should decline assignments if they feel unable to provide an impartial assessment.

  • Use of unpublished material or privileged information for personal benefit is strictly prohibited.

Editors

  • Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist.

  • Editorial decisions are based exclusively on the scientific quality, originality, and relevance of the submission.

  • If the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict, the manuscript will be reassigned to another senior editorial board member.

Disclosure in Publications

  • All declared conflicts of interest will be published as a statement at the end of the article.

  • If no conflicts exist, the published statement will read:
    “The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this work.”

Undisclosed Conflicts

  • Failure to disclose relevant conflicts identified post-publication will be treated as research misconduct.

  • Depending on severity, the journal may issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, following COPE guidelines.