Conflict of Interest

Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers and editors must disclose relationships or circumstances that could reasonably be perceived as influencing professional judgment.

Relevant interests may include financial relationships, employment, consultancy, intellectual-property interests, professional competition, institutional relationships or personal relationships.

Authors should provide an appropriate conflict-of-interest declaration in the manuscript. Where no relevant competing interests exist, this should be stated clearly.

Reviewers and editors should recuse themselves when an appropriate independent assessment cannot be provided.