COAlition S troubles top journals.

Abstract

By 2020 scientific publications that result from research funded by public grants provided by participating national and European research councils and funding bodies, must be published in compliant Open Access Journals or on compliant Open Access Platforms.1 Acta Physiologica offers open access at the same price as other journals.2, 3 Yet, on top, the authors have the choice to publish their work entirely free (free-to-publish-pay-to-read). The latter option reflects the traditional way of publishing: The author publishes for free—the reader pays to read. The free-to-publish option is what most scientists from less privileged countries choose, simply because they have too few resources to pay for publishing on top of the costs for their studies. To ensure free access of Acta Physiologica articles for scientists from developing countries, the journal provides free subscriptions to these regions. Questions arise, regarding, for example, the rationale of the decision to categorically forbid journals to offer that choice: What is wrong with the hybrid way of publishing? How morally superior is it to exclude numerous less wealthy countries from publishing science? The current author cannot provide an answer to these questions and requests a revision of cOALITION S to include journals as Acta Physiologica, a journal owned by a non-profit charitable organization (Scandinavian Physiological Society). As it stands, cOALITION S may be a step backwards in the race to include all scientists worldwide. Society-owned non-profit journals should be white listed by cOALITION S. None.