UK-funded science research must be made more accessible, says minister
pharmafile | September 16, 2011 | News story | Medical Communications, Research and Development | UK science
Research paid for by the UK taxpayer must be made more accessible to the public, researchers and other stake holders, says science minister David Willetts.
Currently when the government funds a research project the data from this will then be published by a peer-reviewed journal.
But it is this process Willetts is unhappy with as the published data sits behind a pay wall, which restricts public access to it.
Speaking at the British Science Festival in Bradford this week, Willetts said that transparency is “at the heart of the government’s agenda” and that it should apply to published research.
“We do fantastic research in the UK,” he said, “But I want to ensure that people are given the opportunity to know more about the projects that government funds.”
In order to do this Willetts has set up a new group made up of representatives from the higher education sector, research investors, the research community, scholarly publishers and libraries.
This group will assess how access to research findings might be expanded in the most appropriate way – taking into account a wide range of considerations.
It will be chaired by Dame Janet Finch DBE, professor of sociology at Manchester University and independent co-chair of the council for science and technology.
Transparency firmly on the agenda
Willetts concern is about research directly funded by the UK taxpayer, but the move toward greater transparency in published data forms part of a wider agenda.
The pharma industry is already moving in this direction – the European Parliament currently debating new laws that will allow pharma to give more information to patients about its products.
The European Medicines Agency too has recently opened up its Clinical Trials Register, which now allows the public access to a number of clinical trials.
Ben Adams
Related Content
UK funding boost for early-stage research
The government has established a new research institute to aid public and private groups working …
UK research receives £800m funding boost
Research into dementia, cancer, diabetes and heart disease are among the activities to benefit from …
Universities to ‘pick up pharma’s R&D mantle’ after Pfizer closure
Science in the UK will have to focus on contractually-based research in the future as …
