Post-Publication Discussion and Corrections Policy

A conflict of interest, also referred to as a competing interest, exists when financial, personal, professional, intellectual, institutional, or other relationships or interests could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, a person's judgment, actions, or decisions concerning research, peer review, editorial assessment, or publication.

Conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived. They may arise from direct financial benefits, personal relationships, academic competition, professional commitments, institutional responsibilities, or other circumstances relevant to the manuscript.

The existence of a conflict does not automatically indicate misconduct or require manuscript rejection. Relevant interests must be disclosed so that BMB can assess the circumstances and determine appropriate safeguards. Disclosure does not replace the responsibility to manage a conflict that could compromise an impartial publication process.

All authors are responsible for disclosing relevant financial and non-financial interests when submitting a manuscript. Disclosure must be accurate, complete, and consistent with the information supplied through the submission system and the manuscript.

• Disclose relevant interests that could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, the research or its reporting.
• Identify funding sources and explain the funder's role in the study, where applicable.
• Declare relevant employment, consultancy, financial support, personal relationships, professional commitments, and institutional interests.
• Include a clear Conflict of Interest statement in the manuscript, including an explicit statement when no relevant conflict exists.
• Ensure that all co-authors have been given an opportunity to disclose relevant interests.
• Notify the Editorial Board promptly if a relevant conflict emerges or changes during editorial assessment or after publication.

Authors should disclose relevant interests even when they believe those interests have not influenced their research. The editorial assessment of a disclosed interest is separate from the author's duty to disclose it.

Reviewers must assess whether they can evaluate a manuscript fairly and objectively before accepting an invitation. Potential competing interests must be disclosed to the editor, including interests that may not be obvious or may arise during the review process.

• Decline or withdraw from a review when a relevant conflict prevents an impartial assessment.
• Inform the editor of relevant financial, personal, professional, intellectual, or institutional relationships with the authors or the research.
• Pay particular attention to current employment at the same institution, recent supervisory relationships, close collaboration, or shared grant involvement.
• Notify the editor if a conflict becomes apparent after the review has started.
• Maintain manuscript confidentiality and do not use unpublished information for personal, professional, or financial advantage.
• Do not involve another person in the review without the journal's prior permission.

Editors, editorial board members, and journal staff must disclose relevant conflicts and ensure that editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit, evidence, relevance, and the journal's published policies rather than personal, financial, institutional, or commercial interests.

• Recuse themselves from handling or deciding on a manuscript when a conflict could compromise, or reasonably appear to compromise, their impartiality.
• Transfer the manuscript to an independent, qualified editor who has no relevant conflict.
• Ensure that manuscripts authored or co-authored by an editor or editorial board member receive independent editorial assessment and peer review.
• Prevent inappropriate influence from funders, institutions, advertisers, commercial partners, or other interested parties.
• Assess disclosed conflicts involving reviewers and other participants and implement appropriate safeguards.
• Protect confidential information and document relevant management decisions.

When the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict, the manuscript must be handled by an independent editor without that conflict. The conflicted editor must not participate in the editorial decision.

Every submitted manuscript must include a Conflict of Interest statement. Authors must explicitly declare relevant interests or state that no relevant conflicts exist. The statement must accurately reflect the disclosures made by all authors.

These examples are templates and must be adapted to the actual circumstances. A funding statement does not replace a Conflict of Interest declaration where both are relevant.

If BMB receives credible information suggesting that a relevant conflict of interest has not been disclosed, the journal will assess the concern in accordance with its publication ethics procedures and relevant COPE guidance.

Where appropriate, the person concerned will be contacted and given an opportunity to provide an explanation or relevant information. BMB will consider the available evidence, the nature of the interest, the stage of the publication process, and the possible implications for research integrity or editorial independence.

Depending on the findings and circumstances, actions may include requesting a complete disclosure, correcting the manuscript or published article, changing editorial or review assignments, conducting further inquiries, or referring the matter to an appropriate institution or responsible body where warranted.

If an undisclosed conflict is identified after publication, BMB will assess whether a correction, expression of concern, or other action is necessary to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. Retraction will be considered only when justified by the circumstances and applicable editorial policies.

Decisions will be proportionate to the evidence and circumstances. Failure to disclose a conflict will not automatically be treated as proof of research misconduct, nor will every undisclosed conflict automatically require rejection or retraction. Relevant decisions and actions will be documented.