AUTHOR DISCLOSURE
Upon submitting any revised version of an original scientific manuscript, review article, editorial, or letter to the editor that has been approved for submission to the Journal, each and every author and co-author is required to submit a completed American Thoracic Society Disclosure Form online via the following secure ATS website: http://coi.thoracic.org. Journal editors, deputy editors, associate editors and peer reviewers also make disclosures to ATS, according to instructions they receive, at time of appointment.

The ATS Disclosure Form is a “universal ATS disclosure” intended to apply to all ATS activities in which the submitter participates. Individuals are asked explicit questions about relationships with commercial and non-commercial entities relevant to respiratory, critical care and sleep medicine. Examples of information requested include: (a) use of provided dollar ranges to disclose relevant personal financial interests; (b) disclosure of relevant institutional relationships with commercial entities, if known to the author (note: ATS does not require individuals to make specific inquiries of the authorities of their institution); and (c) disclosure of any relationship with the tobacco industry or its affiliates and subsidiaries that benefited the ATS member/non-member or the tobacco industry in its promotion of tobacco products. (Note: the Journal also continues its policy of not accepting research funded by tobacco industry sources.) Disclosure of known involvement of a spouse, life partner, or dependent with relevant entities is also required.

Author disclosures will be considered in relation to the submitted manuscript by the Editor as part of the review process, and summarized within a statement prepared by the Journal that will be published with the manuscript after final approval.

The Journal assumes that all individuals have “competing interests” that may at times cause conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest depends on the situation, and not on the character or actions of the individual. The ATS defines conflict of interest as a “divergence between an individual’s private interests and his or her professional obligations such that an independent observer might reasonably question whether the individual’s professional actions or decisions are motivated by personal gain” and/or a “financial or intellectual relationship that may impact an individual’s ability to approach a scientific question with an open mind.”

After an article has been published, readers sometimes write to a journal because they have reason to believe that authors failed to disclose financial relationships with an entity that has an interest in the subject of the article. The Journal will handle these inquiries according to the recommendation of the American Medical Association. Queries will be forwarded to authors, and authors will be required to provide a written explanation.