1. Conflicts of interest for medical publishers and editors: Protecting the integrity of scientific scholarship 
Sapan S. Desai, MD, PhD, Cynthia K. Shortell, MD 
Journal of Vascular Surgery 
Volume 54, Issue 3, Pages 59S-63S (September 2011)
DOI: /j.jvs
Copyright © 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery Terms and Conditions

2. Fig 1
Potential conflicts of interest between authors, editors, publisher, advertisers, and readers. Only the potential conflicts between advertisers and the other parties are shown, but there are issues that can arise between any of the parties. Readers are the central focus of the publication process, but one could easily substitute patients in lieu of readers.
Journal of Vascular Surgery  , 59S-63SDOI: ( /j.jvs )
Copyright © 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery Terms and Conditions

3. Fig 2
Checks and balances between authors, editors, publisher, and readers. Legal agreements between the publisher and editor should preserve editorial independence within the publication constraints of the journal. Disclosure statements, a clear conflict of interest policy, and double-blinded peer-review can help prevent conflicts between editors and authors. Finally, readers can trust the peer-review process and content they read by ensuring that the entire scientific publication process is transparent. A scientific arbitration board composed of the publisher and editors along with representative authors and readers should be formed to help adjudicate major issues.
Journal of Vascular Surgery  , 59S-63SDOI: ( /j.jvs )
Copyright © 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery Terms and Conditions