This post is by our guest, Dr
Stephen Pinfield, a Senior Lecturer in the Information School at the University
of Sheffield. In this post he introduces us to his recent paper ‘Medical research charities and open access’ where he reports on a survey he carried out to assess the Open Access (OA) policies and activities of medical research charities in the UK, including several of the Europe PubMed Central (Europe PMC) funders.
Open
access has come a long way in the last decade and the funders of medical
research have often been at the forefront of developments. However in the last
two years there has been a heightening of the OA debate internationally, as
many funders have strengthened their positions on OA and as OA has begun to
enter the mainstream of research communication for many disciplines. In the UK,
the Finch Review and the Research Councils UK OA policy, and in the USA, the
Federal Fair Access to Science and Technology Research bill and the Office of
Science and Technology Policy OA policy memorandum, are examples of
developments that have increased the momentum towards the ‘mainstreaming’ of
OA.
shutterstock_128925893
Stephen Pinfield, a Senior Lecturer in the Information School at the University
of Sheffield. In this post he introduces us to his recent paper ‘Medical research charities and open access’ where he reports on a survey he carried out to assess the Open Access (OA) policies and activities of medical research charities in the UK, including several of the Europe PubMed Central (Europe PMC) funders.
Open
access has come a long way in the last decade and the funders of medical
research have often been at the forefront of developments. However in the last
two years there has been a heightening of the OA debate internationally, as
many funders have strengthened their positions on OA and as OA has begun to
enter the mainstream of research communication for many disciplines. In the UK,
the Finch Review and the Research Councils UK OA policy, and in the USA, the
Federal Fair Access to Science and Technology Research bill and the Office of
Science and Technology Policy OA policy memorandum, are examples of
developments that have increased the momentum towards the ‘mainstreaming’ of
OA.
In
this context, and following discussions with Europe PMC and the
Association of Medical Research Charities, I decided to carry out some research
to assess the OA policies and activities of medical research charities in the
UK. How are they responding to recent developments? What do they see as the
main opportunities and challenges? Where are they taking their organisational
policies?
this context, and following discussions with Europe PMC and the
Association of Medical Research Charities, I decided to carry out some research
to assess the OA policies and activities of medical research charities in the
UK. How are they responding to recent developments? What do they see as the
main opportunities and challenges? Where are they taking their organisational
policies?
I
asked these and related questions in a survey of UK AMRC and Europe PMC
members, and received some very interesting responses. There is clearly a lot
going on and some of this is described in an article recently published (and
available in open-access form) in the journal Learned Publishing.
asked these and related questions in a survey of UK AMRC and Europe PMC
members, and received some very interesting responses. There is clearly a lot
going on and some of this is described in an article recently published (and
available in open-access form) in the journal Learned Publishing.
The
results presented in the paper show that OA is an important issue for many
medical research charities and a large number already have or are developing
policies which encourage OA. Some clearly see OA as a really important way of
getting the research they fund out there and used. Trends on a wide range of
issues from compliance monitoring to licensing are also discussed in the paper,
providing a snapshot of the current state of play in the sector.
results presented in the paper show that OA is an important issue for many
medical research charities and a large number already have or are developing
policies which encourage OA. Some clearly see OA as a really important way of
getting the research they fund out there and used. Trends on a wide range of
issues from compliance monitoring to licensing are also discussed in the paper,
providing a snapshot of the current state of play in the sector.
However,
there are concerns. In particular, there are concerns about costs and resource
requirements to support OA. Some of the data presented in the paper provides
provisional evidence of the size of the cost challenge for different
organisations. “Provisional” because what the article illustrates
amongst other things is the need for more and better data in this area to help
create a reliable evidence base to inform policy development. There is still some
way to go.
there are concerns. In particular, there are concerns about costs and resource
requirements to support OA. Some of the data presented in the paper provides
provisional evidence of the size of the cost challenge for different
organisations. “Provisional” because what the article illustrates
amongst other things is the need for more and better data in this area to help
create a reliable evidence base to inform policy development. There is still some
way to go.
Of
course, the debate currently happening amongst medical research charities in
many respects reflects wider debates about OA: Gold versus Green, IPR, roles
and responsibilities and so on. However, medical research charities have an
important perspective on the discussion and can make a valuable contribution to
it. I hope this research helps to get their voices heard.
course, the debate currently happening amongst medical research charities in
many respects reflects wider debates about OA: Gold versus Green, IPR, roles
and responsibilities and so on. However, medical research charities have an
important perspective on the discussion and can make a valuable contribution to
it. I hope this research helps to get their voices heard.
Pinfield, S (2013). Medical Research charities and open access. Learned Publishing, 26(4), 285-302. doi: 10.1087/20130409 http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/20130409
Stephen teaches on several postgraduate programmes and pursues research in a number of issues including scholarly communications (particularly OA), research data management, and information strategy. Before becoming an academic, Stephen was for 23 years an information professional, latterly Chief Information Officer at the University of Nottingham where he managed a converged library and IT services Department. At Nottingham, he was founding Director of the Centre for Research Communications, which runs a number of OA-related services, such as SHERPA RoMEO, and carried out research and development projects in various areas of scholarly practice and communication futures. Stephen has been active for a number of years in OA developments at institutional, national and international levels.
