Funding

Last Updated: October 2026

This policy is part of ETFLIN's editorial and publishing governance framework.

Purpose and Scope

ETFLIN requires transparent and accurate disclosure of financial and material support associated with the research reported in submitted manuscripts. Funding disclosure enables readers to identify the organizations and other parties that supported a study and understand the extent to which those parties participated in the research process.

This policy establishes the requirements for identifying funding sources, reporting grant information, describing sponsor involvement, disclosing material non-financial support, and confirming authors' access to research data. It also outlines the measures ETFLIN may take when funding information is incomplete, inaccurate, or inconsistent with the information provided elsewhere in a manuscript.

The policy applies to all authors submitting manuscripts to ETFLIN journals, including original research, reviews, clinical studies, and other scholarly contributions for which a funding statement is required. The nature and relevance of support may differ by publication type, but authors must provide an accurate declaration appropriate to the work being reported.

Funding disclosure is a transparency requirement. The existence of external or commercial funding does not automatically imply bias, misconduct, or a lack of scientific independence. Conversely, the absence of external funding does not automatically establish that a study is free from competing interests.

The purpose of this policy is to make relevant support visible and to establish whether the conditions under which the research was conducted permit accurate, independent, and transparent reporting.

Sources of Research Funding

Authors must disclose all identifiable funding sources that directly supported the research described in the manuscript. The declaration must be sufficiently detailed to allow readers and the editorial team to identify the source of financial support and, where applicable, the specific award or grant.

Reportable sources may include:

  • Government agencies, public research councils, and other public funding bodies.

  • Universities, research institutes, hospitals, and other academic or healthcare institutions providing dedicated research funding.

  • Private foundations, charitable organizations, nonprofit institutions, and professional organizations.

  • Commercial companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, biotechnology companies, industrial partners, and other private-sector sponsors.

  • International organizations, collaborative research programs, and cross-institutional funding initiatives.

  • Fellowships, scholarships, or other individual awards when they directly support the research reported in the manuscript.

  • Institutional or departmental research funds allocated specifically to the study.

  • Other organizations or individuals providing identifiable financial support for the research.

Authors must identify the source of support rather than relying solely on a general statement that the research was conducted at a funded institution. When a specific grant or award supported the work, the relevant grant or award number must be included where available.

If the research received support from multiple sources, each relevant source must be identified. Where several grants supported different aspects of the work, the declaration should distinguish the sources and their respective awards as accurately as practicable.

Funding from a commercial organization must be disclosed regardless of whether the organization participated in the design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, or publication of the research. A statement that the funder had no role in the study does not remove the obligation to identify the funding source.

Authors must use the full official name of each funding organization in the funding statement. Abbreviations may be included where helpful, but they should not replace the full name when doing so would make the source difficult to identify.

Direct Research Funding and General Institutional Support

ETFLIN distinguishes between direct funding for the research being reported and general support provided to an individual author or institution.

Direct research funding includes financial support specifically allocated to the study, project, experiment, analysis, or other research activity described in the manuscript. Examples include a dedicated research grant, a project-specific institutional allocation, or a commercial contract supporting the investigation.

General institutional support may include an academic appointment, routine departmental resources, general laboratory infrastructure, or salary support that is not specifically allocated to the research project. Such support must not automatically be represented as direct funding for the entire study.

Where an institution or another organization supports an individual author's contribution to the work, but does not fund the overall study, the distinction should be made clear. For example:

"The research was supported by Organization A under Grant No. XXXX. Author B's contribution to the study was supported by Institution C."

This distinction helps readers understand which sources funded the research itself and which sources supported particular individuals or activities.

Authors should not omit direct research funding merely because the funds were administered through a university, hospital, research center, or another intermediary institution. The organization or award responsible for providing the support should be identified where possible.

When the funding arrangement is unclear, authors should seek confirmation from the responsible institution or funder before submitting the manuscript.

Material and In-Kind Research Support

Funding disclosure is not limited to cash payments or conventional research grants. Material or in-kind support must also be disclosed when it makes a substantive contribution to the conduct of the research or is provided under circumstances relevant to the reported findings.

Examples may include research materials, reagents, instruments, specialized equipment, laboratory services, proprietary software, computing resources, access to specialized facilities, or substantial technical services provided by an external organization.

The declaration should identify the provider and describe the nature of the support. Where appropriate, authors should also explain whether the provider had a role in designing the research, generating or analyzing data, interpreting results, preparing the manuscript, or determining whether the findings could be published.

Routine institutional infrastructure and ordinary resources do not necessarily require separate identification as research funding. The relevant consideration is whether the support was specifically allocated to the work, materially facilitated the study, or could reasonably affect the interpretation of its findings.

The editorial team may request clarification when a material contribution is not adequately described or when the nature of a sponsor's involvement cannot be determined from the submitted information.

Material support should be reported under the appropriate funding or support statement. The reporting of individual contributions and acknowledgments remains subject to the journal's applicable authorship and contributorship requirements.

Funding Disclosure Requirements

Every submitted manuscript must contain a clearly identified Funding section before the References, unless the relevant journal's submission instructions specify another location.

The statement must accurately reflect the funding and material support relevant to the work reported. At a minimum, it should identify the funding organization, the relevant grant or award number where available, and any additional information needed to understand the relationship between the funding and the research.

Where several sources contributed to the work, all relevant sources must be listed. Authors should not combine unrelated grants into a general statement that prevents readers from identifying the organizations supporting the study.

Funding statements should be consistent with the information provided in the acknowledgments, manuscript submission forms, grant documentation, and other relevant declarations. If a funding source is named in one part of the submission but omitted from another, the authors may be asked to clarify the discrepancy.

The funding statement must not imply that an organization endorsed the findings, validated the methods, or approved the conclusions unless such a statement is expressly supported by the relevant facts and is appropriate to include.

Authors must not use a general acknowledgment to conceal direct financial support or material sponsorship that should be declared in the Funding section.

Research Receiving No Specific External Funding

If a study received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors, authors may use the following statement when it accurately describes the circumstances:

"This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors."

This statement should be used only when it is accurate. It does not remove the requirement to disclose identifiable direct support from another source or material contributions that are relevant to the research.

Where the study was conducted using general institutional resources but did not receive a dedicated research grant, authors should distinguish the absence of a specific grant from the existence of general institutional support when that distinction is relevant to the work.

Where no financial or material support requiring disclosure was received, authors may use an appropriate no-funding statement confirming that there were no such sources of support.

If authors are uncertain whether institutional or other support constitutes reportable funding, they should disclose the relevant circumstances to the editorial office for assessment rather than make an unsupported declaration.

Role of Funders and Sponsors

Authors must disclose the role of each relevant funder or sponsor in the design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the research.

The statement must address, where applicable, the sponsor's involvement in:

  • Formulating the research question, objectives, protocol, or study design.

  • Selecting the methodology, experimental procedures, participants, materials, or analytical approach.

  • Collecting, generating, processing, managing, or analyzing data.

  • Interpreting results and determining the conclusions to be reported.

  • Drafting, reviewing, or approving the manuscript.

  • Deciding whether, when, and where the findings may be submitted for publication.

  • Imposing contractual, confidentiality, intellectual property, or other restrictions that could affect the reporting of the research.

Where multiple sponsors supported different parts of a study, authors should describe their respective roles separately when necessary to avoid ambiguity.

If a sponsor provided funding but had no involvement in the relevant research or publication activities, the statement should make that clear. For example:

"This research was supported by Organization A under Grant No. XXXX. The funder had no role in the study design; data collection, analysis, or interpretation; manuscript preparation; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication."

This statement must not be used unless it accurately reflects the arrangement.

If a sponsor participated in any of these activities, the relevant role must be disclosed. Authors should not describe a funder as having no involvement merely because it did not directly write the manuscript or make the final editorial decision.

Disclosure of sponsor involvement does not automatically disqualify the research from publication. ETFLIN will assess whether the research methods, reporting, and conclusions remain adequately supported and whether the sponsor's role permits an appropriate level of scientific independence.

Authors' Access to Research Data

Authors must disclose the nature and extent of their access to the data underlying the research when the funding or sponsorship arrangement makes this information relevant to the interpretation or independence of the work. ETFLIN may request this information for other submissions when necessary to assess the reliability of the reported findings.

The statement should clarify whether the authors had access to the data required to conduct or verify the reported analyses, who controlled or maintained access to the data, whether access was restricted by a sponsor or another organization, and whether access remains available after the research has been completed.

Where relevant, authors should explain whether any sponsor could prevent access to the data, require authorization before particular analyses were conducted, or restrict the authors' ability to verify the results independently.

The degree of access may vary according to the research design. For example, some multicenter studies or studies using confidential records may involve controlled access arrangements. Such arrangements do not automatically make the research unsuitable for publication, but the restrictions must be transparent and must not prevent an appropriate assessment of the reported findings.

Where the research is sponsored by an organization with a financial or proprietary interest in the outcome, ETFLIN may request additional confirmation concerning authors' access to the underlying data and responsibility for the accuracy of the analyses.

Authors must not imply that they independently verified the entire dataset if their access was limited to selected analyses or data extracts. The statement should accurately identify any limitations in access that are relevant to the conclusions.

Questions concerning public access to datasets and supporting research materials are addressed separately through the applicable data availability requirements. A statement that the data are available in a repository does not, by itself, establish that the authors had sufficient access to assess the results independently.

Research funding arrangements must not compromise the accuracy, objectivity, or integrity of scientific reporting.

Authors should not enter into agreements that prevent them from accessing the data necessary to evaluate the research, independently analyzing or interpreting the findings, or preparing a scientifically accurate manuscript. The research team must retain a reasonable ability to report results that are unfavorable to the sponsor, inconsistent with the sponsor's expectations, or different from the conclusions originally anticipated.

A sponsor may have legitimate contractual interests in confidential information, intellectual property, or the timely protection of patentable inventions. Such interests must not be used to suppress scientifically relevant findings, require inaccurate reporting, or impose an unrestricted or indefinite veto on publication.

Where a sponsor has a contractual right to review a manuscript before submission, authors must disclose the nature and scope of that arrangement when it is relevant to the publication process. Any review intended to protect confidential information or intellectual property must be distinguished from a right to determine the scientific content or prevent publication of unfavorable results.

Authors must disclose any contractual restriction that materially affects their ability to submit the work for publication. Where necessary, ETFLIN may request additional clarification or relevant contractual documentation on a confidential basis.

The journal may decline to proceed with a manuscript when material restrictions make it impossible to assess the reliability of the reported findings or when the publication arrangement is incompatible with accurate and independent scientific reporting.

Editorial Independence

ETFLIN's editorial decisions are based on the scholarly merit, originality, methodological rigor, relevance, research integrity, ethical compliance, and evidentiary support of submitted work.

Funding sources, commercial relationships, institutional support, and other financial arrangements must not determine whether a manuscript is accepted, rejected, or published. The availability of funding, the reputation of a sponsor, or the commercial value of the reported findings does not establish that a manuscript is scientifically suitable for publication.

Sponsors and funders must not be permitted to direct peer-review outcomes, select reviewers for the purpose of securing a favorable decision, interfere with independent editorial assessment, or require publication or suppression of findings based on financial or reputational interests.

Similarly, an unfavorable result, a lack of statistical significance, or a conclusion that does not support a sponsor's preferred product or intervention must not be concealed solely because of its implications for the sponsor.

ETFLIN will assess the scientific and ethical suitability of a submission independently of the presence or absence of external funding. Disclosed funding does not guarantee acceptance, and the absence of funding does not confer an advantage during editorial assessment.

These principles apply throughout initial screening, peer review, revision, acceptance, and publication.

Verification of Funding Information

Authors must ensure that funding information is accurate, complete, and consistent throughout the submission.

The corresponding author is responsible for coordinating the collection of funding information from all relevant co-authors and confirming that the Funding section reflects the support received for the work. Each author remains responsible for the accuracy of information relating to funding or support received through their own activities or institutional arrangements.

ETFLIN may request clarification or supporting documentation when the declared information is incomplete, inconsistent, or insufficient to establish the identity or role of a funder. Depending on the circumstances, supporting information may include grant award details, confirmation from a funding institution, relevant sponsor correspondence, or clarification regarding data access and publication restrictions.

A request for additional information does not automatically imply that the authors or the sponsor have acted improperly. The purpose is to establish an accurate and transparent record before the editorial process proceeds further.

Where necessary information remains outstanding, ETFLIN may return the manuscript for clarification or correction, suspend further editorial processing, or take other appropriate action under its editorial procedures.

Authors must not deliberately omit, misrepresent, or conceal relevant sources of research funding. If material information is identified after acceptance but before publication, the funding statement must be corrected before the final article is released.

Incomplete or Undisclosed Funding Information

If ETFLIN becomes aware that a funding declaration may be incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading, the editorial office may request an explanation from the corresponding author or other relevant authors.

The journal will assess the significance of the omission, whether the information materially affects the transparency of the study, whether the omission was corrected promptly, and whether there is evidence of deliberate concealment.

Where an omission can be resolved through clarification or correction, the journal may request a revised Funding section or other appropriate amendment.

Where the circumstances suggest intentional misrepresentation, an attempt to conceal a sponsor's influence, or another material concern affecting the integrity of the research, ETFLIN may initiate further assessment under its applicable editorial and publication ethics procedures.

Possible actions depend on the circumstances and may include continued editorial processing after satisfactory correction, suspension of the editorial decision pending clarification, rejection before publication, correction of the published record, or other proportionate editorial action.

Post-publication action will be considered according to the significance of the omitted information and its implications for the accuracy, interpretation, or integrity of the published work. An incomplete funding statement does not automatically justify retraction; the appropriate action depends on the evidence and the effect of the omission.

Authors will ordinarily be given an opportunity to clarify material concerns, subject to the need to protect confidential information, preserve relevant evidence, or comply with applicable obligations.

This policy concerns the funding and material support associated with the research reported in a manuscript. It does not establish the full requirements for declaring personal financial relationships, stock ownership, consultancy, employment, intellectual property interests, or other competing interests that may exist independently of the funding of the particular study.

Such relationships must be disclosed under ETFLIN's Competing Interest Policy, where applicable. A funding statement does not replace a competing-interest declaration, and a competing-interest declaration does not remove the obligation to report direct research funding.

This policy also does not govern the amount, payment, or waiver of article processing charges or other publication fees. Those arrangements are separate from the funding of the underlying research.

Likewise, the business model and operating revenue of a journal are distinct from the declaration of funding in an individual manuscript. The principles of editorial independence stated in this policy apply to relevant funding relationships but do not replace the publisher's broader transparency and governance arrangements.

Policy Review and Contact

ETFLIN will periodically review this policy to maintain consistency with relevant scholarly publishing standards, research funding disclosure practices, and changes in editorial procedures.

The journal may update its requirements when necessary to improve transparency, protect research independence, or address new forms of research sponsorship and support.

Questions concerning the disclosure of research funding or the interpretation of this policy may be directed to halo@etflin.com.

External Guidance

This policy takes account of relevant guidance from the following organizations and documents: