The Nature Portfolio journals aim to promote transparency and integrity by asking authors to disclose any financial or non-financial interests related to the work described. The corresponding author is responsible for providing a statement of competing interests on behalf of all authors of the paper. Definition
Definition
For the purposes of this policy, competing interests are defined as financial and non-financial interests that could directly undermine, or could be perceived to undermine, the objectivity, integrity, and value of publication, by potentially influencing the authors’ estimates and procedures regarding the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data objectively. Competing financial interests include any of the following:
Application to Authors
Authors must disclose and identify any competing interests during the submission process, through the statements in the manuscript submission system. For certain types of content, data may be collected via the Nature Portfolio’s disclosure form. The corresponding author is responsible for submitting the statement on behalf of all authors.
Application to Reviewers
The Nature Portfolio journals invite reviewers to exclude themselves in cases where there is a significant conflict of interest, whether financial or non-financial. However, financial interests do not necessarily negate the conclusions of the paper, nor do they automatically exclude anyone from evaluating it. Reviewers are asked to inform editors of any relevant interests, including financial interests as defined above, that may be considered relevant. Editors will take this information into account when evaluating reviewer recommendations.
Application to Editors
All members of the editorial board of the Nature Portfolio journals must declare to their employer any interests – financial or non-financial – that may affect or could be perceived to affect their editorial practices. Failure to do so is considered a disciplinary violation.
Application to External Editors, Guest Editors, and Editorial Board Members
The Nature Portfolio journals make editorial decisions in collaboration with external editors and editorial board members from within the scientific community: Communications journals, npj journals, Scientific Reports, Scientific Data. Editorial board members and guest editors must declare any competing interests and may be excluded from the peer review process if competing interests are found. Additionally, they must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in cases where competing interests exist. This may include – but is not limited to – prior publications with one of the authors or sharing the same institution with one of the authors. An editor or guest editor or editorial board member who is on the list of authors must declare this in the competing interests section of the submitted manuscript. If they are authors or have any other competing interests related to a specific manuscript, another editor or guest editor or another member of the editorial board will be assigned to oversee the peer review. These manuscripts are subject to the same rigorous peer review process applied to any other manuscript.
Editorial Policies of Nature Portfolio Journals
Authors will now be required to disclose any interests that may affect objectivity. Nature, Nature journals tighten rules on non-financial conflicts, January 2018. To enhance transparency and integrity, it is important for corresponding authors to disclose any financial interests that may affect how their articles are perceived. Nature Photonics, Truth and transparency, June 2013. The U.S. government has changed the way medical scientists disclose their financial interests. The implemented changes are welcomed, but access to specific conflicts online must be a requirement, Nature, Accountable and transparent, September 6, 2012. Allegations regarding conflicts of interest highlight the difficulties faced by regulatory bodies engaging in industry collaborations. Nature Biotechnology. Conflicts and collaborations, November 2010. A one-size-fits-all competing interests disclosure policy may not be preferable. Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology. Conflict of interest disclosures, January 2010. Not all financial interests in drug discovery are harmful, and many are essential to its success. However, the focus on potential conflicts of interest may allow real scientific misconduct to go unnoticed. Nature Medicine. A really serious conflict, May 2009. Differentiating between actual and potential competing interests. Nature Medicine. The doors of perception, February 2008. Scientific endeavors benefit from transparency and open disclosure of real or presumed potential conflicts of interest. Nature Chemical Biology. Keeping it real, April 2007. Disclosing competing financial interests when publishing a statement paper is essential to maintaining credibility and transparency. Nature Methods. Nothing to declare? November 2006. Researchers disclosing competing financial interests are undergoing a serious shift from tools of transparency to evidence of illegal behavior. Nature Medicine. Dealing with disclosure, September 2006. The competing financial interests policy adds transparency to the increasingly complex web of financial interests in research. Nature Cell Biology. Nothing to declare? June 2004. The policy on competing financial interests of the journal extends to review articles. Nature Neuroscience. Financial disclosure for review authors, October 2003. Introduction of a competing financial interests policy for authors, 2001: Nature Neuroscience. A new policy on financial disclosure Nature Immunology. Competing financial interests Nature. Declaration of financial interests
Application
On the Publishing Policy
The Nature Portfolio journals thrive on their independence. Our strict policy is that editorial independence, decisions, and content should not be influenced by commercial or financial interests, or by any specific arrangements with advertisers or sponsors. Our policy is to disclose such arrangements in the event of any risk of compromise.
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Source: https://www.nature.com/nature-research/editorial-policies/competing-interests
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