Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing their judgment or the interpretation of research.

Potential conflicts may include, but are not limited to:

• employment or consultancy relationships;
• financial interests or stock ownership;
• research grants or sponsorship;
• paid expert testimony;
• patent applications or ownership;
• professional or personal relationships; and
• institutional affiliations that may create a competing interest.

Authors should include a Conflict of Interest Statement in their manuscript. If no conflict exists, authors should state:

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Reviewers and editors must disclose relevant conflicts before participating in the evaluation of a manuscript and should recuse themselves whenever impartial assessment cannot be ensured.