Conflict of Interest
Conflict of Interest Policy
Axis Journal of Medical and Biosocial Sciences (AJMBS)
Purpose and Commitment
The Axis Journal of Medical and Biosocial Sciences (AJMBS), published by Axis Academics Limited (UK), is fundamentally dedicated to the transparent and ethical dissemination of scientific knowledge at the intersection of medical sciences, biological sciences, and social determinants of health and human behaviour. Our commitment to intellectual integrity requires vigilant management of any factor that could compromise objectivity or the perception of objectivity in our published research. This policy establishes a mandatory framework for the comprehensive disclosure and management of conflicts of interest.
1. Policy on Conflicts of Interest (COI)
A conflict of interest exists when an individual's personal, financial, or professional affiliations or relationships could be reasonably perceived as unduly influencing their scientific judgment, objectivity, or loyalty. AJMBS requires full transparency to maintain public trust and allow readers to form their own assessments of potential bias, particularly in the sensitive interdisciplinary field of medical and biosocial research where findings may directly impact health policy and clinical practice.
Definition and Scope: A COI may be financial (e.g., direct funding, stock ownership, consultancies, patent applications, honoraria), personal (e.g., familial relationships, close personal connections), professional (e.g., academic affiliations, competitive rivalries, institutional loyalty), or political. The critical factor is the potential for actual or perceived bias that could influence research outcomes or their interpretation.
Author Disclosure Requirements:
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All authors must complete and submit the journal's official Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form at the time of manuscript submission via the OJS platform.
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Disclosures must be comprehensive, detailing all relevant financial and non-financial interests that could be construed as a potential conflict, including any relationships that began within the past 36 months.
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The corresponding author is responsible for collecting and verifying disclosure statements from all co-authors and ensuring that no relevant conflicts have been omitted.
Reviewer and Editor Disclosure Requirements:
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Invited peer reviewers must decline to review a manuscript if they identify a significant conflict of interest (e.g., recent collaboration with authors, direct competition, financial interest in the outcomes) and must inform the editor of the reason promptly.
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Editorial team members, including the Editor-in-Chief and Section Editors, must recuse themselves from any decision-making process on manuscripts where they have a COI, including their own work or that of close colleagues.
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All recusals are documented in the journal's internal records, which are permanently archived.
Management and Publication of Disclosures:
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All disclosed conflicts of interest will be assessed by the editorial office. The presence of a COI does not automatically preclude publication, provided that full transparency is maintained.
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To ensure full transparency, a summary of relevant disclosures (or a statement declaring "The authors declare no conflicts of interest") will be published prominently within each article.
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In cases of significant potential bias, the journal may publish an accompanying editorial note, require additional independent statistical review, or take other steps to safeguard the research's credibility and alignment with ICMJE Recommendations.
Post-Publication Disclosure: If an undisclosed conflict of interest is discovered after publication, the journal will issue a correction or, in cases of significant undeclared bias, a retraction in accordance with COPE guidelines.
Grant and Material Support Disclosure
All sources of financial and material support that enabled the research must be acknowledged transparently.
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Grant Support: Authors must disclose all grant support, including the full name of the funding agency, grant numbers, and the name of the principal recipient. If no specific funding was received, this must be stated explicitly.
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Material Support: The provision of equipment, drugs, reagents, data sets, software, or other materials essential for the research must be described (e.g., "The study medication was provided by [Company Name]").
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Statement of Independence: For research funded by a commercial entity or any other organisation with a vested interest in the outcomes, authors must include the following statement: "The authors had full and unrestricted access to all study data, take complete responsibility for the accuracy of the data analysis and interpretation, and had the final right to submit the research for publication irrespective of the funder's views."