The Lancet may halt publication as workers strike again over pay

The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, could be forced to cancel publication for the first time in 200 years as workers strike again over pay. 

This comes amid warnings that medical science is coming “under attack” by AI-generated research submissions, making the need for retaining qualified and experienced human workers to weed out slop and fabricated studies greater than ever. The work of journalists at The Lancet Group, which comprises 29 monthly specialty titles and a weekly journal, plays an integral role in countering misinformation on public health and supporting medical research.

On 22 September, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) members at The Lancet staged a walkout outside the company’s London office and held action short of a strike over a two-week period.

This followed a ballot in which 97.8% of members on a turnout of 87.5% voted for industrial action over the company’s failure to offer an adequate pay deal despite extensive negotiations. Elsevier reported an adjusted operating profit of £1.035 billion in 2025, which translates to a 7% underlying profit increase and a 38% profit margin.

With no movement from the employer on its pay offer since the action last month and attempts by the NUJ to facilitate negotiations through the employment mediator Acas, union members have called three consecutive days of further strikes – starting today (19 October).

The Lancet, which attracts millions of readers globally, has published more than 10,000 issues since 1823, but this week’s industrial action could force the company to miss its weekly edition for the first time in its long history.

The NUJ Lancet chapel has said that if the company fails to make a meaningful new pay offer, members will be prepared to take further days of industrial action. The union has called on the company to return to the negotiating table and avoid further disruption to the business.

Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said:

Our members do not want to be out on strike but they have been forced into this action by management’s unwillingness to address the issue of sustained low pay – something the company can easily do given its huge profits. Our members have contributed massively to building The Lancet’s stellar reputation globally, as reflected in the overwhelmingly supportive response to our open letter.

The responsibility for resolving this dispute rests with the employer, and we remain committed to reaching an agreement. However, if management fails to make a meaningful new offer, our members are prepared to take additional days of industrial action. To avoid further disruption to the business, we urge the company to meet our reps and return to the negotiating table with an offer our members can accept.

John McDonnell, NUJ parliamentary group secretary, said:

I am shocked that these loyal professionals have been forced to take unprecedented industrial action. I urge the employer to get round the negotiating table for serious negotiations to settle this dispute.

More than 300 academics in science, including a Nobel Prize winner, other journalists, and MPs have signed an open letter addressed to the CEO of Elsevier, which owns The Lancet, and CEO of the parent group, RELX – expressing support for workers and reflecting their calls for fair pay.

Along with their signatures, some left comments for senior management on the vital role Lancet workers play not only within the science field, but also wider society through “fighting the good fight against mis- and disinformation.

One professor said: “AI Large Language Models (LLMs) are wreaking havoc on publishing standards. We need decently paid humans to safeguard the standards of credible science.”

Another professor said: “Diminishing [workers’] role does not strengthen scholarship; it erodes confidence, risks error, and ultimately harms the research ecosystem. Supporting the expertise that safeguards publication quality is essential if science is to remain trustworthy and robust in the face of mounting challenges.”

The salaries of Lancet workers have steadily decreased in real terms over the years, leaving many significantly worse off than they were five years ago despite their growing experience, expertise, and responsibilities.

One NUJ member who is on strike said: “Low pay impacts every part of our lives. Living in London, the cost of living is increasing. We all have student loans because you need a degree to do this job, and those loans aren’t getting paid off at the rate we’re paid.”

Another member said: “Keeping this job is making colleagues poorer in real terms year-on-year, which, given the resources available to the company that owns the Lancet, is unconscionable.”

They added: “At a time when science is under attack from AI – with so many submissions coming in that are not written by humans – it’s clear we need that human element. We need properly qualified people who know what they’re looking at. If this [low pay issue] carries on, people will start leaving these jobs and AI will find its way into the literature. So, it couldn’t be more important to make sure colleagues are compensated in the way they deserve.”