In short: A conflict of interest is any interest that could be perceived to influence your work. Having one is normal and not misconduct — but failing to declare it is. Transparency is the whole point.
What is a conflict of interest?
A conflict (or competing) interest is any financial or personal circumstance that could be seen to influence — or bias — the conduct or reporting of research. Declaring it lets readers, reviewers and editors weigh the work fairly. It is a core part of publication ethics.
Why disclosure matters
Undisclosed interests undermine trust, even where the research is sound, because readers cannot judge for themselves whether an interest might have shaped the findings. Disclosure protects both the integrity of the record and the author's reputation.
What to declare
Financial interests
- Funding and grants supporting the work;
- Employment, consultancies or advisory roles;
- Patents, royalties, stock or equity;
- Payments for speaking, travel or expert testimony.
Non-financial interests
- Personal or family relationships relevant to the work;
- Professional rivalries or collaborations;
- Strongly held positions or affiliations that could bias interpretation.
How to declare
Include a conflict-of-interest statement in the declarations section, following the journal's format. If there are no competing interests, say so explicitly ("The authors declare no competing interests"). Also report your funding sources in a separate funding statement. Declared interests are typically published with the article.
Reviewers and editors too
Conflicts of interest are not only an author matter. A reviewer or editor with a competing interest in a manuscript should recuse themselves, so the assessment remains impartial.
Key takeaways
- A conflict of interest is anything that could be perceived to influence the work.
- Having one is normal; failing to declare it is the ethical breach.
- Declare financial and non-financial interests, or state that there are none.
- Reviewers and editors recuse themselves when they have a competing interest.