Scientific publishers divided over US trade embargo ruling

Bulletin of the World Health Organization, April, 2004 by Sharon Kingman

A fresh interpretation of the rules governing trade between the US and countries such as the Islamic Republic of Iran and Sudan has shocked American publishing houses as well as scientists and editors worldwide.

The ruling, confirmed by the US Department of the Treasury at a meeting attended by representatives from 30 publishers on 9 February 2004, says that it is illegal for scientific journals to continue peer reviewing and editing manuscripts whose authors come from Cuba, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Sudan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, or Iraq--all countries against which the US applies full trade sanctions.

The Association of American Publishers, which represents American publishers and has offices in New York and Washington, says it believes the Office...