Public Access of Government-funded Studies (Hares Go Elsewhere)
This memo by the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy proves how there is nothing noble that won't escape the clutches of corporate interests. The program sounds so beautiful as it speaks of the public getting access to published studies that were funded by government agencies. However, read it and weep, John Q. The memo makes several specifications that are clearly lobbied by scientific publishing houses that stand to lose millions--if not go bankrupt--as a result of these measures. Measures, I might add that came about as a result of their greed in charging an arm and a leg for access. First, there is to be a 12 month embargo on access (in other words, we can have access to year old publications). Secondly, drafts of scientific papers can not be accessed (this one I lobbied for and will continue to do so). These two could not have been written into the memo any better if they had come directly from the desk of the publishers of Nature or Science. Thi...