Conflict of Interest
The International Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Fertility Sciences is committed to transparency and integrity in scholarly publishing. Authors, reviewers, editors, and other contributors should disclose any financial, professional, personal, or other interests that could influence, or could reasonably appear to influence, the research, review, or editorial decision-making process.
1. Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest may arise when an individual has an interest or relationship that could affect their objectivity or judgment.
Potential conflicts may include:
- Financial relationships
- Employment or consultancy
- Research funding
- Personal relationships
- Professional collaborations
- Institutional interests
- Ownership of intellectual property
- Academic or competitive relationships
2. Authors' Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for identifying and disclosing any potential conflicts of interest related to their manuscript.
Authors should disclose conflicts involving:
- The research itself
- Funding or sponsorship
- Employment
- Consultancy
- Financial interests
- Patents or intellectual property
- Personal or professional relationships
Disclosure does not necessarily mean that the manuscript will be rejected. Transparency allows editors and readers to evaluate potential influences appropriately.
3. Conflict of Interest Statement
Authors should include a clear statement in the manuscript.
If there is no conflict, authors may use:
Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
If a conflict exists, authors should describe it clearly and accurately.
4. Funding Disclosure
Authors should disclose financial support received for conducting or publishing the research.
Funding information should identify relevant:
- Funding organizations
- Grants
- Institutional support
- Sponsored research
- Other financial assistance
Funding and conflict-of-interest disclosures should be consistent with the information provided during manuscript submission.
5. Reviewer Conflicts of Interest
Reviewers should disclose any circumstances that could interfere with their impartial evaluation of a manuscript.
Reviewers should not participate in the review if they have a significant:
- Personal relationship with an author
- Professional relationship
- Financial interest
- Direct competitive interest
- Institutional conflict
- Other relationship that could compromise objectivity
6. Editorial Conflicts of Interest
Editors should maintain editorial independence and disclose or appropriately manage conflicts that could influence their decisions.
An editor should not handle a manuscript when a personal, professional, financial, or other relationship could reasonably compromise impartiality.
7. Management of Conflicts
When a potential conflict is identified, the journal may take appropriate measures to protect the integrity of the editorial and peer-review process.
These measures may include:
- Requesting additional disclosure.
- Assigning an alternative editor.
- Selecting independent reviewers.
- Requesting clarification from authors.
- Recording the conflict in the publication record where appropriate.
8. Undisclosed Conflicts
If a significant conflict of interest is discovered after submission or publication, the journal may investigate the matter.
Depending on the circumstances, appropriate action may include:
- Requesting clarification.
- Correcting the published information.
- Issuing an editorial notice.
- Issuing an expression of concern.
- Taking other appropriate publication-ethics action.
9. Transparency and Editorial Independence
Disclosure of conflicts helps maintain transparency and confidence in published research.
Editorial decisions should be based on the manuscript's scientific quality, originality, relevance, ethical standards, and scholarly contribution rather than inappropriate personal or commercial interests.
The journal's official platform currently provides dedicated sections for submissions, the editorial masthead, privacy information, and contact information.
10. Commitment to Transparency
The International Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Fertility Sciences encourages authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose relevant conflicts openly and honestly.
The journal is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, impartial, and ethically responsible publication process and to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record.
