The editorial board of the journal «GRAIL OF SCIENCE» adheres in its work to international standards of transparency and integrity in publication activities, in particular to the recommendations of international organizations in the field of publication ethics regarding the disclosure of conflicts of interest, including:
– recommendations on disclosure of conflicts of interest by the
Committee on Publication Ethics
– recommendations on ethics and editorial processes by the
World Association of Medical Editors
– policies on disclosure of conflicts of interest by the
Center for Science in the Public Interest
– example of a conflict of interest disclosure form by the
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
– principles set out in the
San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment
Definition of Conflict of Interest and Its Forms.
A conflict of interest arises when personal, financial, professional, or other interests of an author, reviewer, or editor may influence, or be perceived as influencing, the objectivity of the evaluation, interpretation, or publication of scientific material. A conflict of interest may be:
1. Actual. An actual conflict of interest occurs when a person’s interests directly affect their ability to make impartial decisions. For example, if an author, reviewer, or editor participates in decision-making regarding a work that is related to their personal, financial, or professional interests (including activities of an organization with which they are affiliated), such a person cannot be considered independent.
2. Potential. A potential conflict of interest arises when circumstances may lead to a conflict of interest in the future or create a risk of influencing the objectivity of evaluation. For example, participation in multiple organizations that may have overlapping interests, or the existence of professional relationships that may influence future decisions regarding publications.
3. Perceived. A perceived conflict of interest occurs when, even in the absence of an actual influence on decisions, there may be a reasonable impression that the person is not acting impartially. For example, if a reviewer or editor has indirect connections with an author or an organization related to the research, this may raise doubts among third parties regarding the independence of the evaluation.
The editorial board proceeds from the principle that any conflict of interest – actual, potential, or perceived – must be disclosed.
Types of Conflict of Interest:
1. Financial:
– grants, funding;
– participation in commercial projects;
– ownership of shares, patents;
– consulting activities, honoraria.
2. Non-financial:
– personal or professional relationships;
– academic competition;
– ideological or political beliefs;
– participation in related research projects.
3. Institutional:
– affiliation with organizations interested in the results of the publication..
Authors’ Responsibilities for Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest.
Authors are obliged to:
– disclose all existing, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission;
– provide information about sources of research funding;
– ensure coordinated disclosure of information by all co-authors;
– promptly inform the editorial board if a conflict of interest is identified after submission or publication.
Disclosure of a conflict of interest is not a reason for rejection of a manuscript, but may affect the evaluation process.
Reviewers’ Responsibilities for Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest.
Reviewers are obliged to:
– inform the editorial board of any conflict of interest before starting the review;
– decline the review if they are unable to ensure objectivity;
– not use information from the manuscript for personal benefit;
– maintain confidentiality of the received materials.
Editorial Responsibilities for Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest.
Editors and members of the editorial board are obliged to:
– not participate in the consideration of manuscripts in which there is a conflict of interest;
– delegate editorial authority to another editor in case of a conflict;
– ensure an impartial peer review process;
– not use unpublished materials in their own research.
Editors may not make decisions regarding their own manuscripts.
Rules for Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest.
Information about conflicts of interest:
– is provided by the author at the time of manuscript submission;
– is included in the text of the article in the relevant section;
– may be clarified by the editorial board if necessary.
To ensure transparency and correct presentation of conflict of interest information, the editorial board recommends that authors use clear and unambiguous wording.
– In the absence of a conflict of interest:
The author(s) declare no conflict of interest related to the preparation, conduct, and publication of this work.
– In cases of financial conflict of interest:
The author(s) declare a financial interest related to the research topic and state that the research was funded by [name of organization/fund].
– In cases of non-financial (professional/personal) conflict of interest:
The author(s) report the existence of professional or personal relationships that may potentially affect the objectivity of the research.
– In cases of institutional conflict of interest:
The author(s) are affiliated with institutions that may be interested in the results of the research.
– In cases of combined conflict of interest:
The author(s) report the presence of both financial and non-financial interests that may be related to the research topic. All potential conflicts of interest have been properly disclosed.
Editorial Actions in Case of Identified Conflict of Interest.
In the event of identifying a conflict of interest, the editorial board may:
– replace the reviewer or editor;
– request additional explanations from the authors;
– publish a statement of conflict of interest together with the article;
– reject the manuscript in case of concealment of the conflict;
– initiate correction or retraction procedures after publication.
Undeclared Conflict of Interest.
If an undeclared conflict of interest is identified after publication, the editorial board acts in accordance with the policies on correction or retraction of publications and COPE recommendations.
Edition dated 23.01.2026
