New conflict rules at medical journals

Editors of some of the world's top medical journals will soon begin to demand more stringent, uniform reporting of conflicts of interest by researchers. The requirements will go beyond existing disclosure rules at many medical journals to include items such as financial relationships involving spouses, partners, or minor children, the Wall Street Journal reports. Also required will be disclosure of nonfinancial conflicts. At least a dozen publications have agreed to use a new, standardized disclosure form, which will be phased in over the next several months.