ASM Responds to OSTP Guidance on Federally Funded Research Access
Washington, D.C. – Earlier today the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) new guidance directing all federal agencies to update their public access policies no later than 2025 to make publications and research funded by taxpayers freely available.
°®¶¹´«Ã½ (ASM) recognizes that making research more widely accessible is an important step in promoting equity in science. ASM has been an open access (OA) leader and advocate for many years. ASM’s are fundamental to advancing the microbial sciences and they provide a critical service not only to ASM members, but to the global microbial sciences community. However, if researchers are forced to make up for lost subscription revenue, then a new kind of inequity may result. We urge policymakers to take this into consideration as they address these important issues.
“ASM has long embraced the spirit of open access, and we believe that data availability and data sharing are critical to our mission to advance the microbial sciences,” said ASM Chief Executive Officer Dr. Stefano Bertuzzi. "Though ASM would prefer open access publishing be voluntary rather than a ‘federal mandate,’ we are well positioned and excited to take on this challenge as we have already embarked on the journey to transition our publication business model.”
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°®¶¹´«Ã½ is one of the largest single life science societies, composed of more than 30,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM's mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences.
ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications, educational opportunities and advocacy efforts. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to diverse audiences.
