Author/participant duty
Funders, sponsorships, consultancy relationships, commercial interests, close collaborations and other relationships that could affect perceived impartiality should be disclosed at submission. Authors may also state that no competing interests exist.
Reviewer and editor duty
A reviewer or editor who cannot assess impartially because of close collaboration, direct competition, personal relationship, financial tie or another reason must decline or disclose the matter to the responsible editor. Shared institutional affiliation does not automatically create a conflict in every case; recency and nature of the relationship are considered.
Decision and record
Where a conflict is manageable, responsibilities may be reassigned or additional independent review obtained. In serious conflicts the affected person recuses themselves from the decision. Relevant competing-interest disclosures may be published with the record.
This text is an institutional operating policy of STA Congress. Applicable law, competent-authority decisions and stricter event-specific rules prevail where relevant. Policies must remain consistent with actual workflows and technical systems.