Paywalls are slowing cures for cancer

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It's time to take down journal paywalls for cancer research By Oliver Staley Health Editor Research is the lifeblood of science, and academic journals are its circulatory system: they’re a critical mechanism for the dissemination of new knowledge. But what happens if journals place research out of reach? That effectively is what happens when journals erect costly paywalls, argues Julia Kostova, the director of publishing at Frontiers, an academic publishing company, in an essay for TIME. Scientific journals are a big business, grossing $27 billion annually, and they have incentive to make accessing their content expensive. But as proven during the COVID-19 pandemic, when vaccine and treatment research was made freely available, there is another way. To accelerate critical progress towards cures, journals should let down their paywalls for research into cancer and other life threatening diseases, Kostova writes. That holds especially true for research funded by taxpayer dollars; we shouldn’t have to pay to read for the research we’ve already paid for. READ MORE  Share This Story

What Else to Read Criminalizing Pregnancy Loss Doesn't Help Anyone By Katherine Parkin / Made by History Assessing pregnancy loss used to be about improving health care. What changed? Read More » Rite Aid Banned From Facial Recognition Tech Use for 5 years After Faulty Theft Targeting in Stores By TOM MURPHY / AP Rite Aid said that it disagrees with the allegations, but that it's glad it reached an agreement to resolve the issue. Read More » If You’re Feeling Anxious, Try This 2,000-Year-Old, Neuroscience-Backed Hack By Julia Hotz Imagining the worst that can happen through dedicated 'worry time' can help stop anxiety in its tracks. Read More » Do Massages Have Real Health Benefits? By Markham Heid The perks of a good massage are more than skin deep. (Originally published in 2018.) Read More » 6 Ways to Set Boundaries at Work—Even When It's Uncomfortable By Angela Haupt Yes, even in this economy. Read More »

ONE LAST READ The importance of cousin-hood As families shrink and have fewer children, there is an unnoticed side effect: fewer cousins. That's a shame, argues Faith Hill in the Atlantic, because cousins can offer interesting and uncomplicated kinds of relationships. There is little obligation attached to being a cousin, so time spent with together is freely given, and can be more rewarding as a result. Read More »

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