Charlotte Lozier Institute Scholars Begin Arbitration to Defend Science Against Publisher Retractions

Researchers Fight Sage Publications’ Attempt to Cancel Critical Studies on Abortion Drugs

Washington, D.C.—Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) scholars have begun arbitration against Sage Publications, Inc., and they have filed their opening arbitration demand challenging Sage’s politically motivated retractions.

Last year, attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom and Consovoy McCarthy PLLC petitioned a California court to force Sage to arbitrate the scientists’ claims against Sage. The authors argued that Sage unjustly retracted three of their studies and removed Dr. James Studnicki, the lead author of the studies, from a Sage editorial board. Two of the studies (here and here) described the dangers of abortion drugs and were widely read and cited.

After the Dobbs Supreme Court case, a federal court cited those two studies when it ruled that the FDA wrongly approved mifepristone and should have required in-person dispensing of the drug. That court decision prompted a reader to complain to Sage about the articles and the authors’ pro-life affiliations. Sage responded to the complaint by retracting the articles.

Dr. Studnicki, vice president and director of data analytics at CLI, said:

“Putting politics over publication ethics, Sage retracted three important studies by Charlotte Lozier Institute scholars that are scientifically sound. There was no legitimate reason for retracting the papers, and Sage did this without offering a valid objection to their findings.

“Good science is open science, and it does not follow a pre-approved narrative. Our scientific institutions must defend principles of open inquiry and commitment to science, not just when it’s convenient for them. Sage’s actions should be of great concern to the entire research community. We remain committed to that pursuit regardless of all attempts to silence and ban our studies and our network of scholars.”

Karen Czarnecki, executive director of CLI, said:

“Freedom of speech in medicine is critical for scientific progress. But because of Sage’s retractions, the authors and their research have suffered repeated attacks in the media that have damaged the authors’ reputations. The authors are now being mistreated in their industry and their research proposals are being inexplicably turned down. That is wrong, and the scientific community deserves better.”

Charlotte Lozier Institute was launched in 2011 as the education and research arm of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. CLI is a hub for research and public policy analysis on some of the most pressing issues facing the United States and nations around the world. The Institute is named for a feminist physician known for her commitment to the sanctity of human life and equal career and educational opportunities for women.

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