New report reveals open access could reduce cost of scientific publishing by up to 30 per cent

A report out today shows that making scientific research available free on the Internet could wipe as much as 30 per cent off publishing costs.

The Wellcome Trust report shows for the first time that the open access model of scientific publishing - where the author of a research paper pays for peer reviewed research to be made available on the web free to all who wish to use it - is economically viable, guarantees high quality research and is a sustainable option which could revolutionise the world of traditional scientific publishing. Currently researchers are obliged to give the copyright to their research to publishers who then charge researchers to use that work through subscription fees.

Following its first study published last year, which concluded that the current system of scientific publishing is failing both the science community and the public at large, The Wellcome Trust has now assessed the possible cost implications of adopting the open access model.

The current system gives a small number of publishers almost complete control over the distribution of the research they publish which, in 90 per cent of cases, has public funding. Profits of up to 40 per cent are being made through this system. Open access would give all people unrestricted access to research findings. The report suggests that a £1100 payment by the author would allow a workable, high quality and sustainable publishing model. This compares to an average of £1500 to publish a paper under the traditional system.

Subscription fees to journals, and their on-line versions, have risen by 200 per cent in the last decade and currently cost UK universities £76 million a year. Based on the report's findings, the Wellcome Trust calculates that the total cost of access to research for its own funded scientists under an open access system would add an additional 1 per cent to the costs of research.

Dr Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust said: "The results of scientific research must be freely and widely available to help scientists throughout the world make the discoveries we need to improve health. That is why we have supported the principle of open access publishing. However, up to now there have been unanswered questions about the economic and practical viability of this system. Our report now shows this is a win-win situation: high quality peer reviewed research available to everyone free of charge within a sustainable on-line market - plus savings of as much as 30 per cent."

There are already examples of the success of open access publishing most notably the results of the Human Genome Project. The data from the project was made immediately available on the Internet and can be used by anyone free of charge. Since its publication many thousands of scientists from around the world have been able to access the information as many times as they need, without having to pay subscription fees.

Dr Walport added: 'The evidence presented here appears to contradict a lot of the figures quoted by commercial publishers and leaves me asking the question - how much profit should be made in publishing scientific research, which holds a potential benefit to us all and which was funded by the public purse?

'Now we can get rid of the ludicrous situation where the scientific community has to pay to look at the results of their own research. The Internet has revolutionised retailing, travel and the media, now it's the turn of publishing. It's time for serious discussion, particularly with the learned societies who, as the report makes clear, should have nothing to fear from a new publishing model.'

The report, produced by SQW will be passed to the inquiry being conducted into this issue by the Science and Technology Select Committee in the House of Commons.

Media contacts:

Miriam de Lacy/Mark Anderson
Wellcome Trust Media Office
02076 11 8285/8612
07710 063310/07718 582561

Notes to editors:

1. The First report entitled An Economic Analysis of Scientific Research Publishing is available to view at http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/knowledgecentre/
First report press release entitled Report highlights scientific publishing concerns is available to view at http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/knowledgecentre/

2. Human Genome Browser on the Ensembl website is available at www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens

3. The Wellcome Trust is an independent research funding charity established in 1936 under the will of the tropical medicine pioneer Sir Henry Wellcome. The Trust's mission is to foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health and it currently spends over £400 million per annum.