Conflict of Interest Policy
The Journal of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (JMID) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and objectivity in scholarly publishing.
A conflict of interest may arise when financial, personal, professional, academic, institutional, or other relationships or activities could reasonably be perceived to influence the objectivity, interpretation, evaluation, or editorial handling of a manuscript.
Conflicts of interest may be actual, potential, or perceived. The existence of a conflict does not necessarily constitute misconduct. However, all relevant conflicts must be disclosed so that they can be appropriately assessed and managed.
JMID expects authors, editors, reviewers, Editorial Board Members, and other individuals involved in the publication process to disclose relevant conflicts of interest.
1. Authors' Responsibilities
1.1 Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
All authors must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that could reasonably be considered relevant to the submitted research or its interpretation.
Conflicts may include, but are not limited to:
employment or consultancy relationships;
research funding or other financial support;
grants or sponsored research;
ownership of stocks or other financial interests;
patents or patent applications;
honoraria, speaking fees, or advisory roles;
paid expert testimony;
personal or professional relationships;
institutional or academic relationships;
relationships with organizations that may benefit financially or otherwise from the publication; and
other interests or activities that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation.
Authors must disclose relevant conflicts at the time of submission and provide any additional information requested by the journal during peer review or after publication.
1.2 Funding Disclosure
Authors must provide a clear statement identifying all sources of financial support for the research.
Where applicable, authors should also disclose the role of the funding organization or sponsor in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
If the study received no specific funding, authors should state this clearly.
1.3 Declaration When No Conflict Exists
Authors who have no relevant conflicts of interest should provide an explicit statement such as:
"The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article."
The journal may request additional clarification where necessary.
2. Editors and Editorial Board Members
Editors and Editorial Board Members must identify and appropriately manage any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that could compromise their impartiality.
An editor must not handle a manuscript where a relevant conflict exists, including circumstances involving:
a close personal or professional relationship with an author;
current or recent collaboration with an author;
direct financial interests related to the work;
institutional interests that could influence the editorial decision; or
other circumstances that could reasonably compromise or appear to compromise editorial independence.
Where a conflict exists, the manuscript should be assigned to another qualified editor who can make an independent editorial assessment.
Editors must not use confidential information obtained through the editorial process for personal or professional advantage.
3. Reviewers
Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively and must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest before accepting a review assignment.
A reviewer should decline to review a manuscript when a conflict could reasonably affect, or appear to affect, the impartiality of the review.
Relevant circumstances may include:
close personal or professional relationships with one or more authors;
recent collaboration with an author;
direct competition involving unpublished research;
financial interests related to the subject of the manuscript;
institutional relationships that could influence the review; or
any other circumstance that could compromise impartiality.
If a conflict becomes apparent after a reviewer has accepted an invitation, the reviewer must promptly inform the editor so that the journal can determine whether reassignment is appropriate.
Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and must not use unpublished information obtained during peer review for personal or professional advantage.
4. Publisher
The publisher supports the editorial independence of JMID and does not interfere with editorial decisions based on commercial, financial, or other inappropriate considerations.
Where a conflict of interest involving the publisher or publishing personnel could affect the editorial process, appropriate measures will be taken to protect the independence and integrity of editorial decision-making.
5. Management and Resolution of Conflicts
The disclosure of a conflict does not automatically prevent publication or participation in the editorial process. The appropriate response depends on the nature and significance of the conflict.
Depending on the circumstances, JMID may:
require additional disclosure;
include an appropriate conflict-of-interest statement in the published article;
assign the manuscript to an alternative editor;
appoint an alternative reviewer;
seek additional independent peer review;
request clarification or supporting documentation;
require appropriate amendments to the manuscript; or
take other reasonable measures to protect the integrity and impartiality of the publication process.
Where a conflict is not disclosed or is subsequently found to have been materially relevant to the research or editorial process, JMID may investigate the matter in accordance with its Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.
6. Post-Publication Conflicts
If a previously undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, JMID may investigate the matter and, where appropriate, publish a correction, disclosure statement, expression of concern, or other post-publication notice.
The appropriate action will depend on the nature and significance of the undisclosed conflict and its potential effect on the published work.
7. Responsibility for Accurate Disclosure
Authors, editors, reviewers, and Editorial Board Members are responsible for providing complete and accurate information concerning their relevant conflicts of interest.
Disclosure requirements apply throughout the publication process and may continue after publication where a newly identified conflict is relevant to the published scholarly record.
JMID encourages all participants in the publication process to err on the side of transparency when determining whether an interest should be disclosed.
8. Policy Review
JMID periodically reviews this Conflict of Interest Policy to ensure that it remains consistent with recognized standards and developments in scholarly publishing and research integrity.
The policy may be updated when necessary to maintain effective and transparent conflict-of-interest management.
