Conflict of Interest
Conflict of Interest(COI)
The JCA Conflict of Interest Policy (revised in 2025)
Shumpei Ishikawa, Chair
Conflict of Interest Committee
Japanese Cancer Association
April 2025
Thank you for your continued cooperation with the activities of the Japanese Cancer Association.
The Japanese Cancer Association implements the management of conflicts of interest (COI) related to cancer research. We have revised our guidelines, effective April 2025, and outline the key changes below:
- We have added "Session Chairs, etc." at scientific congresses and similar events as individuals subject to these guidelines.
- The following items have been added to the declaration and disclosure requirements:
- Consulting fees, honoraria, etc., for expert advice or testimony in lawsuits or similar proceedings.
- Research funds, donations, grants, etc., received by clinical trial implementing organizations (including NPOs) for which the individual serves as a representative.
- The name of any company or organization if the individual's primary affiliation is a university or research institution and they also serve as an officer or employee of a company or other organization.
- For lead presenters and principal investigators at scientific congresses, the following items have been added to their disclosure requirements:
- Their own conflicts of interest not directly related to the presented topic.
- All research funding related to the presented topic (regardless of amount, including public funds such as Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI).
- Authors submitting to Cancer Science and other publications are now required to declare their COI using the ICMJE DISCLOSURE FORM 2021 (or its latest revised version if updated by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors).
For more detailed information, please refer to the "Guidelines" sections below. We kindly request that you read these documents thoroughly and act accordingly when participating in association activities.
JCA Conflict of Interest Policy in Cancer Research
COI Policy on the Contribution of Articles to Cancer Science
Cancer Science COI Disclosure Form
Contributions to Cancer Science
http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cas
Disclosure of conflicts of interest at Meetings of JCA
The JCA Conflict of Interest Policy (revised in 2018)
Hiroyuki Seimiya, Chair
Conflict of Interest Committee
Japanese Cancer Association
October 2018
In light of the fact that social responsibility and high ethical standards are paramount in its activities, JCA has enforced the JCA Conflict of Interest Policy in Cancer Research (hereinafter abbreviated as the “Policy”). The purpose of the Policy is for JCA to ensure that the presentation and dissemination of research findings, and activities to raise public awareness of research findings, are appropriately conducted in circumstances where neutrality and impartiality are maintained by appropriate management of conflicts of interest, and to discharge social responsibility by contributing to the advancement of preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer.
On September 30, 2018, in order to accommodate social factors, keep abreast with the amendments and establishment of laws concerning industry-academic collaborations, and changes surrounding cancer research, the JCA Conflict of Interest Committee revised the Policy with the resolutions of the Board of Directors and the Board of Councilors.
The JCA Board of Directors has the authority to deliberate on Policy violations and, if it concludes upon deliberation that the act under review constitutes serious noncompliance with the Policy, the Board may take measures for a fixed period of time in accordance with the seriousness of the noncompliance.
Disclosure of conflicts of interest
Since April 2011, JCA has received self-declarations on conflicts of interest not only in clinical research, but in all research, including basic research.
The Japanese Cancer Association started the submission/disclosure of conflicts of interest from April 2009
Yutaka Kawakami, Chair
Japanese Cancer Association Conflict of Interest Committee
April 2011
Cancer research based on industrial-academic cooperation not only returns to society the results obtained by researchers executing their scientific and ethical responsibilities (public benefit), but also sometimes generates money, standing and concessions, etc., that are acquired by individual researchers in association with such industrial-academic cooperation (personal gains). The situation where these two types of interests occur at the same time in regard to an individual researcher is known as “conflict of interest”. In order to promote industrial-academic cooperation, the occurrence of conflicts of interest is unavoidable, but it is also possible that adverse effects such as the loss of credibility in research results, the loss of trust by society, or dangers to clinical test subjects will occur too.
Consequently, the Japanese Cancer Association started the submission and disclosure of matters of conflict of interest by officers of the Japanese Cancer Association, presenters at lecture meetings hosted by the Japanese Cancer Association such as the annual meeting of the association, conferences, symposiums, and public lecture meetings (hereinafter referred to as “scientific meetings, etc.”), and contributors of articles to Cancer Science in order to appropriately promote publication, dissemination and enlightenment of research results while maintaining neutrality and fairness and to contribute to advancement of cancer research. (The submission and disclosure of already existing matters of conflict of interest is also sometimes called for.)
Disclosure of conflicts of interest from April 2011
From April 2011, the Japanese Cancer Association will receive self-reports on conflicts of interest not only in clinical research, but in all research, including basic research, in association with the revision of the “Japanese Cancer Association (JCA) Detailed Regulations on Handling of Conflict of Interest”. For details, please see the following guideline, detailed regulations and Q&A on the detailed regulations.
* The guideline follows the guideline jointly formulated by the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology and the Japan Society of Clinical Oncology.
(Permission has been obtained from both societies in regard to use of the guideline.)
[For inquiries concerning COI]
Japanese Cancer Association Executive Office
Tel: 03-5361-7156
FAX: 03-3358-1633
e-mail: jca.office@imic.or.jp
