[Re: https://www.hifa.org/dgroups-rss/open-access-38-q4-how-would-you-design-... ]
Dear Neil and all,
Thank you for sharing this insightful article and for your reflections on Plan U and the Gates Foundation’s new open access policy.
As a clinical geneticist and academic, I find this shift towards mandatory preprints particularly interesting. In genomics and related fields, preprints have already become a valuable tool for rapid data sharing and collaboration — something especially relevant during public health emergencies and in rare disease research where time-sensitive knowledge exchange can directly impact patients.
The move away from APC-funded journals also addresses a persistent inequity in academic publishing, allowing researchers from low- and middle-income countries to disseminate their work without prohibitive costs. However, as you point out, ensuring quality and transparency remains key. Clear labelling of peer-review status, AI-assisted screening for quality and integrity, and open or community peer review models could help safeguard scientific reliability.
From a healthcare standpoint, it is vital that preprints are interpreted responsibly. For clinicians, especially those in evidence-based fields, preprints can offer early insights but should never be the sole basis for clinical decision-making. Perhaps HIFA could play a vital role here in promoting awareness about how to critically appraise and appropriately use preprint data in healthcare contexts.
Ultimately, this transition could help journals evolve from gatekeepers of access to curators of validated, synthesized evidence — adding interpretive value to an open and dynamic research ecosystem.
Warm regards,
Dr. Suranjana Banik (MD, PDF)
Clinical Geneticist
Dr Suranjana Banik (MBBS.MD)
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Medical Genetics
Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, India
ORCID || ResearchGate || PubMed || Google Scholar
HIFA profile: Suranjana Banik is a Doctor at Christian Medical College Vellore, India. Professional interests: Medical Genetics and Genomics, Neurometabolic Diseases, Rare diseases suranjanabanik AT gmail.com