Re: JSLS 2003;7:207–209 New Adhesion Prevention Concept in Gynecological Surgery
The article “New Adhesion Prevention Concept in Gynecological Surgery” by L. Mettler, MD, A. Audebert, MD, E. Lehmann-Willenbrock, MD, V. R. Jacobs, MD and K. Schive, MD, published in the July-September 2003 issue of JSLS[1] is virtually identical to an article by the same authors published in the Journal of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, August 2000.[2]In July 2003, the authors sent JSLS a copyright transfer agreement transferring “all copyright ownership, including any and all rights incidental thereto, exclusively to the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons” and “warranting that the work was not being considered for publication by another journal.” Shortly after submission but before either publication, the authors received a letter of acceptance from JSLS. Mettler et al, pleading unawareness of both the ethics of scientific publication and copyright law offered their sincere apologies.