Scope: This policy applies to all journals published or hosted by Discover STM Publishing Ltd, aligning with global publishing ethics standards and COPE guidelines.

• Authors must disclose all forms of financial support, including pharmaceutical company support, in their contributions.
• Any commercial or financial involvements that might present a conflict of interest must be disclosed in a covering letter with the submission. These potential conflicts will be discussed with the Editor regarding their disclosure in the journal.
• Authors must not have restrictive agreements with sponsors that prevent the publication of both positive and negative results or require sponsor approval before publishing.
• Authors should check the manuscript submission guidelines for specific journal requirements on conflict of interest declarations and comply accordingly.

• Editors and guest editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that might influence their editorial decisions.
• They must ensure fair and unbiased review processes, irrespective of any declared conflicts of interest.

• Peer reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could bias their opinions of the manuscript, including any financial, personal, or professional relationships with the authors or related entities.
• If potential conflicts might interfere with an unbiased review, reviewers should recuse themselves from the manuscript review process.
• Reviewers should adhere to confidentiality and objectivity standards, avoiding any actions that could be construed as leveraging their position for personal gain.