Purpose:      To ensure transparency and maintain trust in published research, all authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence (bias) their work.

Step 1 – Complete the ICMJE COI Form

• Download from: icmje.org/conflicts-of-interest
• Fill in all sections
• Sign and date the form

Step 2 – Submit Your COI Form

• Option 1: Upload directly through the KMUJ online submission portal during manuscript submission
• Option 2: Email to kmuj@kmu.edu.pk with cc to editorkmuj@kmu.edu.pk (mention your manuscript title in the subject line)

Step 3 – Prepare Your COI Statement for Publication

In your manuscript, under the subheading Conflict of Interest, provide a clear statement for each author.

If there is a conflict:

Examples:    

• Fatima Khan has received research grants from Pharmaceutical Company X.
• Wasim Chaudhry has received a speaker honorarium from Pharmaceutical Company Y.

If there is no conflict (multiple authors):

Example:

• Muhammad Bilal, Fatima Khan, Wasim Chaudhry, and Abdul Basit declare no conflict of interest.

If there is no funding or conflict:

Example:

• Authors declared no specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.

Important Notes

Time frame: Disclose all relevant relationships within the last 36 months before starting the study.

Types of conflicts: Employment, consultancy, stock ownership, honoraria, expert testimony, patents, research grants, travel support, or any other financial benefit.

Non-disclosure consequences: May lead to manuscript rejection, article retraction, or notification to relevant authorities in line with COPE guidelines.

KMUJ will publish conflict-of-interest statement for each article as provided by the authors.