The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has won a judgment against a publisher and conference organizer that has been widely viewed as predatory.

As reported in brief by Courthouse News Service, U.S. District of Nevada Judge Gloria M. Navarro ordered OMICS International to pay the U.S. government $50,130,810. Among other findings, Navarro writes:

The uncontroverted evidence in the record therefore demonstrates that Defendants have made numerous express and material misrepresentations regarding their journal publishing practices.

OMICS is

hereby permanently restrained and enjoined from making any representation, expressly or by implication, regarding the Impact Factor or Impact Score of any journal or publication, unless the representation is (a) non-misleading and (b) Clearly and Conspicuously discloses (1) whether the Impact Factor or Impact Score is calculated by Clarivate Analytics (or its successor) and (2) if the Impact Factor or Impact Score is not calculated by Clarivate Analytics (or its successor), who calculated that Impact Factor or Impact Score and how that Impact Factor or Impact Score is or was calculated.

Read the entire judgment here.

Following the suit’s filing in August 2016, The FTC won an initial ruling in September 2017, prohibiting OMICS from engaging in “deceptive practices” but not banning them from publishing or organizing conferences.

OMICS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hat tip: “Regret“

Like Retraction Watch? You can make a tax-deductible contribution to support our growth, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, add us to your RSS reader, sign up for an email every time there’s a new post (look for the “follow” button at the lower right part of your screen), or subscribe to our daily digest. If you find a retraction that’s not in our database, you can let us know here. For comments or feedback, email us at team@retractionwatch.com.

Share this: Email

Facebook

Twitter

