A conflict of interest (COI) is a serious ethical breach related to financial or non-financial interests, and transparent disclosure is a cornerstone of research integrity. Failure to do so compromises the objectivity of scientific research and potentially nullifies part of the scientific record.  

In this article, we will explain what a COI is (and is not), the ICMJE framework used to declare one, and template language to use for common disclosure scenarios when it comes to writing a conflict of interest statement.

What is a conflict of intertest? 

A conflict of interest in scientific publishing is any situation or relationship between parties that may compromise the integrity of research by influencing the representation or interpretation of the reported research results. 

Types of COI may include but are not limited to: 

• Financial interests: Membership, employment, consultancies, stocks/shares ownership, honoraria, grants or other funding, paid expert testimony, and patent-licensing arrangements. 

• Non-financial interests: Personal relationships or competing interests directly or indirectly tied to your research, and professional interests or personal beliefs that may influence your research.

The ICMJE framework: declaring a conflict of interest 

The International Committee of Medical Editors (ICMJE) has a standardised form for disclosing any conflicts of interest.  

The ICMJE form requires each author to disclose any financial and non-financial relationships that could potentially bias the submitted research. The form is structured into three sections as follows.

Section 1: Identifying information 

This section is the most straightforward. Authors need to provide basic information such as name and manuscript title.  

Double-check your information is correct before submitting your conflict of interest statement as this can delay editorial processes. 

Section 2: The work under consideration 

In this section, authors need to disclose any institutional payments or services they may have received from a third party to complete the work under consideration. 

This can include but is not limited to: 

• Funding; 

• Provision of study materials; 

• Medical writing; 

• Article processing charges. 

The timeframe under consideration here is from the initial conception and planning through to the finished manuscript.

Section 3: Relevant financial activities outside the work 

The final (and longest) section asks authors to declare any financial interests or relationships with third parties outside the work itself but that may still have influenced the nature of your planning and writing. All sources of revenue that were paid or promised to either you or your institution must be reported. 

The ICMJE suggests that any relationships, activities, or interests should be defined as broadly as possible. The example they give is that if your research explores the epidemiology of hypertension, then all relationships with biomedical entities involved in the production of antihypertensive medication should be declared, even if that specific medication is not talked about in your manuscript.  

Importantly, if you are in doubt about declaring a potential conflict, the ICMJE strongly recommends that you do so. A declaration that is later deemed superficial is preferred to withholding information that could potentially be serious.  

The reporting window for relevant financial activities is 36 months prior to submission of the work under consideration.

Examples for common disclosure scenarios 

Your conflict of interest statement should be written in a clear, concise, and formal manner. Examples of potential COI disclosures may look like this: 

• “Author A” has received research grants from “Company A”. 

• “Author B” has received a speaker honorarium from “Company X” and owns stocks in “Company Y”. 

• “Author C” has been involved as a consultant and expert witness in “Company Z”. 

• “Author D” is the inventor of “Patent X”. 

If there is no potential COI, the following is appropriate: 

• “The author declares no conflicts of interest.” 

Your COI statement typically appears in the published manuscript after the funding acknowledgement and before the references. This can vary by journal however, so follow author guidelines.

Professional help with your manuscript 

Writing a conflicts of interest statement is one of many steps in ensuring that your research manuscript contains the information it needs. Keeping on top of these steps can be troublesome for researchers, and things are sometimes missed.

At MDPI Author Services, we specialise in helping researchers prepare their paper for submission and publication. Our Academic Editing Service provides four rounds of editing carried out by PhD specialist editors. This service includes a review of structure, terminology, a technical review report, and free layout editing. Click here for a free quote.

Subscribe to the Author Services Newsletter for tips, discounts, and updates.