[A2k] Support Public Access to Medical Research

[Benjamin Krohmal]

A quick search on www.PubMed.gov reveals that U.S. taxpayers funded
51,719 medical publications in the first half of 2006, and that less
than 15% of those are available online free of charge (from
PubMed.gov).  This means that 85% of the time the public is failing
to reap the full benefit of its investment in medical research.

Access to research may not be an issue that's usually on the radar
for organizations focused on health and access to medicine, but it
should be:

More accessible research findings lead to more medical breakthroughs
by getting the right information into the hands of the right
scientists.  Greater access also leads to better informed doctors and
more empowered patients and families. The benefit of free online
access is especially great for universities and medical schools in
the developing world that often cannot afford the price of journal
subscriptions.

LETTER FROM HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS

Health related organizations in the US and abroad can help by signing
the letter that follows in support of the U.S. Federal Research
Public Access Act.  The Act would require almost all U.S. funded
medical research to be made available online free of charge within
six months of being published in a journal (text of the bill here:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?
dbname=3D109_cong_bills&docid=3Df:s2695is.txt.pdf)

The letter needs to get out quickly to have the greatest impact on
the legislative agenda.  To have your organization sign, send me an e-
mail at ben.krohmal@cptech.org by 4pm on Thursday, February 1.

Current signers include:
AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC)
Arthritis Foundation
C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition
Christopher Reeve Foundation
Consumer Federation of America
Consumer Union
Essential Action
Harm Reduction Coalition
Health GAP (Global Access Project)
Knowledge Ecology International
National Tay Sachs and Allied Diseases Association
Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
People=92s Health Movement =96 USA Circle

The text of the letter follows:

Senator John Cornyn
517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Joseph Lieberman
706 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Susan Collins
461 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senators,
             The undersigned organizations are writing to express
their support for the Federal Research Public Access Act of 2006 (S.
2695) and for the continuation of work on this important piece of
legislation in the 110th Congress.  This groundbreaking bill is
intended to promote the crucial dissemination of scientific knowledge
by taking advantage of new opportunities presented by the Internet.
The Act would require that most peer-reviewed publications of
scientific research supported by federal tax dollars be made
available online to the public free of charge within six months of
initial publication.

          The dissemination of scientific, and especially medical,
research findings is integral to achieving advances that have the
potential to save and improve countless lives.  The Internet now
provides an unprecedented opportunity to amplify the rewards of
medical research by making it more widely and easily available than
ever before.  Greater access to scientific findings helps scientists
build on cutting edge research and match pressing challenges with
available expertise, accelerating innovation that provides treatments
and cures.

          It is also critically important to expand access to medical
research findings for patients, their loved ones, and their
physicians.  Peer-reviewed medical papers already available online
are of great benefit to doctors in informing treatment decisions and
providing patients and their loved ones with invaluable tools that
better inform and empower them.  However, too few papers are now
readily available to the public online, including the majority of
papers supported with taxpayer funding.  Many online scientific
papers require expensive subscriptions or appear in rare journals
that even most scientists cannot access while others are not placed
online at all.  Congress should ensure that the public reaps the full
value of its investment in science by making publicly funded
scientific publications easily available to scientists, medical
researchers, physicians, students and patients.

         As  organizations concerned with public health and a fair
return on public investment in the creation of knowledge, we
appreciate the efforts of the 109th Congress on this issue, and urge
the 110th Congress to take the next step and pass this important
legislation.  We are pleased to be part of a broad coalition,
including hundreds of consumers, academics, librarians, students and
many other stakeholders that have expressed their support for the
Public Access Act, in order to ensure barrier-free access to taxpayer-
funded research (see: http://www.taxpayeraccess.org/member.html).

             If you have questions or would like to discuss this
matter further, please contact Ben Krohmal of the Consumer Project on
Technology at (202) 332 2670.


Respectfully,







Benjamin Krohmal
Coordinator - Project on Medical Innovation
Consumer Project on Technology
Tel: +1-202-332-2670 ex. 14
Fax: +1-202-332-2673
ben.krohmal@cptech.org