Conflict of Interest

Open Veterinary Journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct, integrity, transparency, and objectivity in scientific publishing. This Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy outlines the responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process to identify, disclose, and appropriately manage any conflicts of interest that could influence, or be perceived to influence, the research, peer review, editorial decision-making, or publication of scholarly work.

1. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when an individual’s personal, financial, academic, or professional relationships may compromise, or reasonably be perceived to compromise, their objectivity, integrity, or judgment in the conduct, evaluation, or publication of research. Conflicts of interest may be actual, potential, or perceived and may involve authors, editors, reviewers, editorial board members, or the publisher.

2. Author Responsibilities

2.1 Disclosure of Conflicts

All authors are required to disclose any conflicts of interest that could be viewed as influencing the research, interpretation of data, or presentation of results. These include, but are not limited to, financial relationships, employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership, paid expert testimony, patents, or personal and institutional affiliations relevant to the submitted work.

2.2 Funding Transparency

Authors must clearly and accurately disclose all sources of funding and financial support for the research, including grant numbers and funding bodies, in the manuscript. The role of the funder(s) in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and manuscript preparation must be explicitly stated.

2.3 Management of Conflicts

Where conflicts of interest exist, authors must ensure that appropriate measures are taken to manage and mitigate their potential impact. This may include transparent disclosure statements, acknowledgment of possible biases, or adherence to institutional or ethical oversight requirements.

3. Editor Responsibilities

3.1 Editorial Independence

Editors are responsible for ensuring an objective, fair, and unbiased evaluation of all submitted manuscripts. Editors must recuse themselves from handling a manuscript if they have any conflict of interest with the authors, institutions, or subject matter that could compromise their impartiality.

3.2 Ethical Decision-Making

Editorial decisions must be based solely on the scientific merit, originality, methodological rigor, and relevance of the manuscript, without influence from commercial, financial, or personal considerations. When conflicts arise during the editorial process, appropriate steps will be taken, including assigning the manuscript to an alternative editor.

3.3 Transparency

Any identified editorial conflicts of interest will be disclosed and managed transparently to preserve trust in the editorial and peer-review process.

4. Reviewer Responsibilities

4.1 Objectivity and Fairness

Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations of manuscripts, free from personal, financial, or professional bias.

4.2 Disclosure and Recusal

Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest before accepting a review invitation or as soon as they become apparent. If a conflict exists, reviewers should decline the review or inform the editor immediately so that alternative arrangements can be made.

4.3 Confidentiality

Reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality regarding all manuscript content and must not use unpublished information obtained during peer review for personal or professional advantage.

5. Publisher Responsibilities

5.1 Transparency and Accountability

The publisher of Open Veterinary Journal is committed to transparency in all publishing practices and will disclose any conflicts of interest that could affect editorial independence or publication integrity.

5.2 Protection of Editorial Independence

The publisher does not interfere with editorial decisions. All editorial judgments are made independently and based solely on scholarly merit and ethical considerations.

6. Conflict Resolution

6.1 Investigation and Management

When a conflict of interest is identified, the journal will initiate a fair and confidential review process. This may involve consultation with the editorial board, authors, reviewers, or other relevant parties to determine appropriate corrective actions.

6.2 Editorial Board Oversight

The Editorial Board plays a central role in resolving conflicts of interest and ensuring that outcomes are consistent with ethical publishing standards and the journal’s policies.

7. Policy Review and Education

7.1 Awareness and Guidance

Open Veterinary Journal encourages awareness of ethical publishing practices among authors, editors, and reviewers and may provide guidance or resources to support compliance with this policy.

7.2 Periodic Review

This Conflict of Interest Policy is reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to align with international best practices, ethical guidelines, and evolving standards in scholarly publishing.