CMAJ should be applauded for its news article highlighting the conflict of interest in Reed Elsevier's roles as a medical publisher and an organizer of arms fairs.1 Following similar articles in other journals,2–4 petitions by academics, actions of major shareholders and protests by the Campaign Against Arms Trade and the Global Health Advocacy Project, Reed Elsevier announced on June 1, 2007, that its subsidiary company Reed Exhibitions would “divest of all [its] defence shows” as they are “no longer compatible with Reed Elsevier's position as a leading publisher of scientific, medical, legal and business content.”5 This marks a rethink from its previous position that “the company does not regard this as a conflict of interest.”1 Although dubious arms exhibitions will no doubt continue to be held, the success of this particular campaign demonstrates the potential impact of the global medical community when it acts in concert.
Footnotes
Competing interests: Edward Armstrong is a member of the Global Health Advocacy Project.
REFERENCES
- 1.Sibbald B. The Lancet protests against its publisher's arms fair business. CMAJ 2007;176:1265.
- 2.The editors of The Lancet reply. Lancet 2007;334:547-8.
- 3.Young C, Godlee F. Reed Elsevier's arms trade. BMJ 2007;334:547. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed]
- 4.Armstrong E. Taking the lead against Reed Elsevier. J R Soc Med 2007;100:256. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed]
- 5.Important announcement: divestment of defence exhibitions [press release]. London (UK): Reed Elsevier; 2007 June 1. Available: www.reed-elsevier.com/index.cfm?articleid=2084 (accessed 2007 Aug 7).