Do all the reviewers decline invitations to review manuscripts that are very similar to a study that their group conducted/is conducting and that their manuscript is under review or that they plan to submit a manuscript? Is it ethical to propose to cite a manuscript that is not out as yet? How strict the journals in screening these scenarios? If a reviewer accept an invitation to review a manuscript that is similar to their work that is still not published or under review, what action a journal could take once they realize it?
I feel that reviewers have an ethical responsibility to declare any conflict of interest. The test would be when a reasonably thinking person who knows about the circumstances feels that there is the possibility of conflict of interest. I think that the possibility is proof enough....
Note that many journals allow you to indicate the people whom you do NOT want to review the paper (so if you have concerns in this respect, you may wish to consider submitting to just such a journal) but the final decision on choosing the referees rests with the editor that handles your paper.
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