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IAP Statement on Access to Scientific Information 04 December 2013 The truth that knowledge is power is particularly In an era in which global dissemination of emphasized in today’s world. the published results of scientific research is increasingly accomplished electronically, it is Science is the most successful means of possible to give access to this body of knowledge to knowledge creation. Because it deals exclusively scientists worldwide, allowing them to participate with arguments based on evidence that can be in the scientific process and advance the scientific independently confirmed by others, science is by its enterprise. Access to current, high quality, scientific very nature an endeavour that requires openness, databases and literature allows scientists in and it thrives on a complete and honest public developing countries to base their own work on up- reporting of results. Access to the vast and varied to-date advancements in their field and to strengthen literature that has been generated by scientific the scientific infrastructure of their own countries. research, and to the numerical data that are being Unfortunately, however, scientists and research collected in public research endeavours, is essential institutions in the developing world can rarely afford to advances in human health, improvements in the high cost of these knowledge resources. agriculture, and the preservation of the natural environment that sustains our life. It is also critical The InterAcademy Panel on International Issues for the creation of new technologies that benefit (IAP), recognizing that many efforts in this regard humankind. In addition, scientific knowledge are under way worldwide and that the business facilitates our understanding of our place in the models of scientific publishers need to be taken into universe. consideration, recommends that:

Yet most scientists and research laboratories in 1. electronic access to journal content be made developing countries cannot afford the journal available worldwide without cost as soon as subscriptions, or have to pay for access to the possible, within one year or less of publication databases that exist in more economically advanced for scientists in industrialized nations, and nations. All nations must have access to the immediately upon publication for scientists in accumulation of scientific knowledge in order to developing countries; work toward a better future for all people. 2. journal content and, to the extent possible, data upon which research is based, be prepared and Chinese Academy of Sciences presented in a standard format for electronic , China, Taiwan distribution to facilitate ease of use; Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences Cuban Academy of Sciences 3. journal content be archived collectively, either by Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic private or government organizations; Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt Estonian Academy of Sciences 4. governments and publishers work together to The Delegation of the Finnish Academies of Science and Letters raise awareness, in the scientific community, Académie des Sciences, France of the availability of free electronic access to Georgian Academy of Sciences scientific journals; Union of German Academies of Sciences and Humanities Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences 5. scientific databases obtained by Academy of Athens, Greece Academia de Ciencias Medicas, Fisicas y Naturales de Guatemala intergovernmental organizations (for example Hungarian Academy of Sciences in meteorology and epidemiology) be made Indian National Science Academy available without cost or restrictions on reuse. Indonesian Academy of Sciences (Acadamh Ríoga na héireann) For both the publishers of scientific journals and Kenya National Academy of Sciences the intergovernmental organizations, providing free Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Italy content to developing countries will have a minimal financial impact. Sales to these countries are small Royal Scientific Society of Jordan compared to the revenue generated from sales to African Academy of Sciences Latvian Academy of Sciences more developed countries. Moreover, the cost of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences implementing the technology for custom web access Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts for selected countries is low (for details, see: http:// Akademi Sains Malaysia www.nap.edu/info/free_ip.html). Academía Mexicana de Ciencias Academy of Sciences of Moldova We, the undersigned science academies throughout Mongolian Academy of Sciences the world, members of the IAP, are convinced The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences that, with the support of international authorities, Academy Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand the backing of the ministries concerned, and the Nigerian Academy of Sciences Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters cooperation of scientific publishers, worldwide Pakistan Academy of Sciences dissemination of scientific knowledge can be Palestine Academy for Science and Technology achieved; and that the benefits to the global Academia Nacional de Ciencias del Peru scientific community, and to developing countries in National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines particular, will be immense. Russian Academy of Sciences Access to Scientific Information: Signatories Académie des Sciences et Techniques du Sénégal Slovak Academy of Sciences Latin American Academy of Sciences Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Third World Academy of Sciences Academy of Science of South Africa Albanian Academy of Sciences Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences of Spain National Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, Argentina National Academy of Sciences, Sri Lanka Australian Academy of Science Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Austrian Academy of Sciences Council of the Swiss Scientific Academies Bangladesh Academy of Sciences Academy of Sciences, Republic of Tajikistan The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium The Caribbean Academy of Sciences Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina Turkish Academy of Sciences Brazilian Academy of Sciences The Royal Society, United Kingdom Cameroon Academy of Sciences US National Academy of Sciences The Royal Society of Canada Academia de Ciencias Físicas, Matemáticas y Naturales de Venezuela Academia Chilena de Ciencias IAP Science and IAP Health Secretariat: ICTP Campus, c/o TWAS, Strada Costiera 11, 34151 Trieste, Italy. Email: [email protected] IAP Policy Secretariat: c/o The U.S. NASEM, 500 Fifth St. NW, Washington, DC 20001, United States. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @IAPartnership Website: www.interacademies.org