Abstract
Conflicts of interests (COIs) in academic publishing demand special attention because they call into question the objectivity, integrity, and credibility of research results. This article reports on an examination of the policies regarding COIs of medical journals in South Korea. As a point of comparison we first examined the COI policies of the top nine international medical journals as measured in terms of journal citation reports (JCRs). Each of these journals defined COIs and stated policies regarding both financial and non-financial COIs. Furthermore, all nine journals required full disclosure of any COIs. We then examined the 160 medical journals that are used by members of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS). We found that 142 journals (89%) had a COI policy but only 80 journals (56%) of these provided a definition of COIs. Furthermore, 139 journals (98%) had a policy in relation to financial COIs but only 64% had a policy regarding non-financial COIs. All of the journals required disclosure of any COIs. COI policies should be clear and specific in terms of defining the different types of COIs and identifying the precise disclosure requirements. A standardized policy will help to promote a better understanding of COIs for those involved in the publication process and protect the credibility and integrity of medical journals in Korea.
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