15. Conflict of Interest

15. Conflict of Interest

The Pakistan Journal of Gastroenterology (PJG) is committed to maintaining transparency, objectivity, and integrity in scientific publishing. Authors are required to disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence, or be perceived to influence, the design, conduct, interpretation, or reporting of their research.

A conflict of interest does not necessarily imply misconduct; however, full disclosure enables editors, reviewers, and readers to assess the manuscript objectively.

Potential conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

  • Financial relationships (e.g., grants, research funding, honoraria, consulting fees, employment, stock ownership, patents, or royalties).
  • Personal or professional relationships that may influence the research.
  • Institutional affiliations or collaborations that could affect the interpretation of the study.
  • Any other circumstances that may create a real, potential, or perceived conflict of interest.

All authors must submit a Conflict of Interest Statement at the time of manuscript submission.

If no conflicts of interest exist, authors should include the following statement in the manuscript:

"The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest."

The Editorial Office may request additional information regarding any declared conflicts of interest when necessary. Failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in editorial action, including rejection of the manuscript, publication of a correction, or retraction of the published article in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policy.

Notes

  • Every author must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
  • Financial support should be reported separately in the Funding Statement.
  • Conflict of interest disclosures help ensure transparency and maintain the credibility of published research.

Editorial Tip

Authors should disclose all potential conflicts of interest, even if they believe the relationship did not influence the research. Transparency strengthens the integrity and trustworthiness of scientific publications.