Preface
The Japan Academy of Nursing Science (hereinafter referred to as “the Academy”) aims to promote the development of nursing science, facilitate exchange of a wide range of knowledge, and contribute to the health and prosperity of people through the promotion of operations related to academic research in the nursing science field by holding academic conferences, publishing academic journals, and through cooperation and collaboration with relevant academic societies in Japan and abroad. Such research in nursing science is often a part of the collaboration between academia and industry, such as a company, organization, or institution. In research, fairness and neutrality are sought. However, returning the results obtained by fulfilling academic and ethical responsibilities to society (public interests) through joint research between industry and academia, and money, position, and interests (private interests) that individual researchers obtain in connection with activities under collaboration between academia and industry (two types of interests) may cause a conflict of interest (hereinafter “COI”) to arise among individual researchers. In the event the state of COI is serious, the safety and security of human rights and the lives of the applicable researchers may be impaired, and the research method, data analysis, or interpretation of the results may be distorted. In addition, fair evaluation may not be obtained in spite of appropriate research results. By showing the basic policies on COI to members, the Academy has established these Guidelines in order to secure fairness and neutrality in the research of the Academy, positively promote the research activities of nursing science and fulfill its social responsibility.
1.Purpose
As described in documents such as the Declaration of Helsinki, Ethical Guidelines for Medical and Health Research Involving Human Subjects (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare), and Ethical Guidelines for Nursing Research (Japan Nursing Association), research involving human subjects requires special consideration of the protection of human rights and life and implementation of safety. Considering that such activities require social responsibility and high ethical standards, the Academy has formulated these Guidelines for Conflicts of Interest (COI) in Research of Nursing Science (hereinafter referred to as “these Guidelines”).
The purpose of these Guidelines is to fulfill social responsibility by appropriately promoting publication of research results with fairness and neutrality maintained through appropriate management of the COI status of members and by contributing to the progress of nursing science and nursing practice. These Guidelines indicate basic policies about COI to members and request disclosure of any COI status by self-declaration and to comply with these Guidelines when participating in operations sponsored by the Academy for publications.
2.Subjects
These Guidelines shall apply to the following with the possibility of a conflict of interest (COI).
(1) Members of the Academy (regular members, supporting members, and honorary members);
(2) Those who present publications or give a lecture at the Academy;
(3) Officials of the Academy (Board Chairperson, Board Vice Chairperson, Directors, Auditors), and
Chairpersons of Academic Conferences;
(4) Members of Various Committees;
(5) Office staff members;
(6) A spouse, relative within the first degree of kinship, or a person who shares income or financial
interests with the subject of (1), (3) or (5) above.
3. Activities Covered
These Guidelines shall apply to all operational activities conducted by the Academy. In particular, compliance with these Guidelines is required when publications appear in the journals of the Academy, at academic conferences of the Academy, or at seminars related thereto. Compliance with these Guidelines is required especially when an educational lecture is given to members of the Academy or a lecture open to members of the public is given since these have a strong social impact.
4.Matters to Declare
In the event a party subject to these Guidelines exceeds the standards set forth in the bylaws with regard to Item 1) and Item 2) below, the party shall declare the exact circumstances to the Board Chairperson of the Academy. The specific methods of disclosing or making open to the public of information declared shall be separately stipulated in the bylaws.
Item 1) Financial Conflicts of Interest
(1) Employment as official, advisor, or employee of a company, corporate organization, or institution;
(2) Possession of equity (stocks, etc.) of partners in industry-academia collaboration activities;
(3) Royalties for patent rights, etc. from a company, corporate organization, or institution;
(4) Daily allowance (lecture fees, etc.) to compensate for the time or labor of researchers secured for
attendance at conferences (presentations) paid by a company, corporate organization,
or institution;
(5) Manuscript fees for writing of pamphlets paid by a company, corporate organization,
or institution;
(6) Research funds (contracted research, joint research, donations, etc.) provided by a company,
corporate organization, or institution;
(7) Scholarship (donor) programs sponsored by a company, corporate organization, or
institution;
(8) If you belong to an endowed course provided by a company, corporate organization, or
institution;
(9) Other travel, gifts, etc. that are not directly related to research funds.
Item 2) Conflicts of Interest Not Included in Item 1) Above
This includes any situation which may potentially affect profit (or loss) to you (especially
regarding a conflict of responsibilities).
5.Matters to be Avoided in Connection with a Conflict of interest (COI)
1)Official announcements of the research results of nursing science should be carried out based on
purely scientific bases and judgment or based on the common good. With regard to the contents
to be officially announced, such as the research results of nursing science and explanations
thereof,members of the Academy shall not be influenced by the self-serving motives of providers of
funds or a company. In addition, contracts shall be concluded so as to prevent any influence from
providers of funds, etc.
2)General responsible parties with the right to decide especially on planning or implementation of
research in nursing science should be elected from among researchers who have been
evaluated as not having a serious conflict of interest (less of a relationship with requesting party)
relating to the following items and should likewise remain free of such conflicts of interest after
their selection.
(1)Ownership of shares in a company requesting research;
(2)Acquisition of patent fees or patent rights for products or technologies obtained from research
results; and
(3)Officials, directors, and consultants of a company requesting research or institution whose
purpose is to make profits (excluding scientific consultants who are not compensated).
Provided,however, that even in the case any of the preceding Items (1) to (3) applies to
an individual but that individual is an indispensable member for the planning or
implementation of the nursing science research, and the research in question is of
extremely important social significance, it shall be possible for the individual to be inaugurated
as a party responsible for the applicable nursing science research as long as equality,
fairness, and transparency in the judgment and measures taken are clearly secured.
6.Method of implementation
(1) All authors who publish research results in academic journals, and principal speakers with
presentations at academic conferences, and those who is required to declare the state
of conflict of interest (COI) shall declare the state of any conflicts of interest (COI) at
the time of submitting a manuscrpt or registering a presentation title, in
accordance with the Bylaws of these Guidelines pertaining to the implementation of the
applicable research, and shall disclose the state of COI, if any, for which disclosure is obliged.
(2) Chairperson of the Board, Vice Chairperson of the Board, Directors, Auditors, Chairpersons
of Academic Conferences, and members of various kinds of committees of the Academy who
shoulder important roles and obligations for all operational activities involving the Academy
shall be obligated at the time of inauguration to disclose the status of any of their conflicts of
interest (COI) by self-declaration relating to these operations. In case new conflicts of interest
arise after inauguration, a revised declaration shall be submitted.
(3) In all operations conducted by the Academy, in the event a serious conflict of interest has
arisen with members or where self-declaration of conflicts of interest have been identified as
inappropriate, the Board of Directors shall issue inquiries to the Conflict of Interest Committee
and shall be entitled to direct measures for improvement based on the Committee’s reply.
(4) The Publication Committee of academic journals shall verify that research results published in
periodicals, such as academic journals, are in line with these Guidelines, and in case of
violations of these Guidelines, the Publication Committee shall be entitled to take measures
to prohibit publication. In such cases, notification shall promptly be made to the applicable
contributor of the article with reasons duly attached. In case an article in violation of these
Guidelines has been identified after publication of articles, it shall be possible to make this
known to the periodical under the name of the Chairperson of the Publication Committee.
When taking these measures, the Chairperson of the Publication Committee shall submit
inquiries to the Conflict of Interest Committee and shall be entitled to direct corrective
measures based on the Committee's reply.
(5) Chairpersons of Academic Conferences shall verify that the results published at academic
conferences are in line with these Guidelines and shall be entitled to take measures, such
as prohibiting addresses of speech titles that violate these Guidelines. In such cases, the
reasons for prohibition shall promptly be explained to the party intending to present the violating
content. When taking these measures, the Chairpersons of Academic Conferences shall submit
inquiries to the Conflict of Interest Committee and shall be entitled to direct measures for
improvement based on the Committee's reply
(6) Other committee chairpersons and members shall verify their respective academic activities
in order to confirm that these are implemented in line with these Guidelines, and in case of
violations of these Guidelines, consideration shall promptly be given to plans to rectify the
situation. When taking these measures, inquiries shall be submitted to the Conflict of Interest
Committee, and the Board of Directors shall be entitled to direct corrective measures
based on the Committee's reply.
7.Measures to be taken against Parties in Violation of these Guidelines, and Accountability
1) Measures to be taken against Parties in Violation of these Guidelines
The Board of Directors of the Academy has the authority to deliberate on acts that are in
violation of these Guidelines, and in case the Board of Directors has determined that a serious
violation of these Guidelines has occurred, as a result of deliberation after submitting an
inquiry to the Conflict of Interest Committee and obtaining a reply from said Committee, the Board
of Directors shall be entitled to take the following measures, in whole or in part, over a fixed
period depending on the degree of the violation.
(1) Prohibition to conduct presentations in all lecture conferences held by the Academy;
(2) Prohibition to publish articles in periodicals of the Academy;
(3) Prohibition of inauguration as Chairperson of academic conferences of the Academy;
(4) Prohibition to participate on the Board of Directors or committees of the Academy;
(5) Dismissal as a delegate of the Academy or prohibition of inauguration as a delegate
of the Academy; and
(6) Suspension of qualifications, expulsion, or prohibition of admission as a member of the
Academy
2) Right to Appeal
A party against whom measures have been taken shall be entitled to appeal to the Academy.
When having accepted such appeal, the Chairperson of the Academy shall promptly have
the Conflict of Interest Committee re-examine the matter, have the matter discussed by the
Board of Directors, and then inform the appealing party of the results.
3) Accountability
When having determined that publication or presentation about the results of research made
are in serious violation of these Guidelines, the Academy shall immediately have the matter
discussed by the Board of Directors and shall fulfill its accountability to society.
8.Enactment of Bylaws
The Academy shall be entitled to enact bylaws necessary for the application of these Guidelines.
9.Revisions to Guidelines
The Academy shall be entitled to enact bylaws necessary for the application of these Guidelines
Supplementary Provisions
1. These Guidelines were originally enacted as of 22 June 2015, with a trial period in force until 1 April 2016, when these Guidelines were put into full authority.
2. These amended new Management Guidelines shall be enforced as of 16 June 2019.
3. These amended new Management Guidelines shall be enforced as of 18 June 2023.
