The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication emphasise the importance of addressing all people inclusively and respectfully. The US Government administration’s move to purge mentions of gender in studies where authors are researchers employed by federal government institutions demonstrates a failure of understanding of scientific research and the role of journals. Journals do not retract or selectively edit papers when requested to by government policies; rather, retractions are usually because of major errors, or data or other falsifications that compromise the reliability of the research findings. In other words, retractions are driven by ethics and professional standards that are accepted worldwide, including in the US, and are undertaken in the interests of scientific integrity.  

The impact of this censorship will be profound. It is essential that publications in journals are written in clear, precise and inclusive language. If journals are called on to heavily edit studies that do not conform to restrictive guidelines, or asked to retract them altogether, it could limit the dissemination of crucial findings. If scientists are unable to publish accurate results, the broader research community, policymakers, and the public lose access to valuable insights that can lead to improvements in health.

ESHG and its journal, the EJHG, are dismayed by this move. We believe that these attempts to impose political control on scientific research and publishing will be damaging to patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, and the advancement of science.