http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/26/section/6Defamation Act 2013An Act to amend the law of defamation.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2022-11-27Expert Participation2022-08-08 61The publication of a statement in a scientific or academic journal (whether published in electronic form or otherwise) is privileged if the following conditions are met.2The first condition is that the statement relates to a scientific or academic matter.3The second condition is that before the statement was published in the journal an independent review of the statement's scientific or academic merit was carried out by—athe editor of the journal, andbone or more persons with expertise in the scientific or academic matter concerned.4Where the publication of a statement in a scientific or academic journal is privileged by virtue of subsection (1), the publication in the same journal of any assessment of the statement's scientific or academic merit is also privileged if—athe assessment was written by one or more of the persons who carried out the independent review of the statement; andbthe assessment was written in the course of that review.5Where the publication of a statement or assessment is privileged by virtue of this section, the publication of a fair and accurate copy of, extract from or summary of the statement or assessment is also privileged.6A publication is not privileged by virtue of this section if it is shown to be made with malice.7Nothing in this section is to be construed—aas protecting the publication of matter the publication of which is prohibited by law;bas limiting any privilege subsisting apart from this section.8The reference in subsection (3)(a) to “the editor of the journal” is to be read, in the case of a journal with more than one editor, as a reference to the editor or editors who were responsible for deciding to publish the statement concerned.S. 6 in force for E.W. at 1.1.2014 by S.I. 2013/3027, art. 2S. 6 repealed (S.) (8.8.2022) by Defamation and Malicious Publication (Scotland) Act 2021 (asp 10), ss. 35(4)(a), 39(2); S.S.I. 2022/154, regs. 1(2), 2