Corona virus and scientific publishing
More than 50 research papers were published on the coronavirus from January the 10th to 30th, as scientists rush to understand the pathogen and how it spreads (Stoye 2020). The number of papers produced within extraordinarily short period of 20 days are mind-boggling . Some of these articles have been reviewed and edited and revised in 48 or even 24 hours, including reviewers working overnight and weekends to meet the rigorous peer review standards (Crowe 2020). This short turn-around time from manuscript submission, reviewing to editor decision is unheard of. The usual turn-around time is months, if not year.
To keep on top of the rapidly breaking science, medical and scientific journals agreed to send copies of coronavirus papers to WHO before publication, with the authors' permission. Sixty-seven leading research organizations and scientific journal publishers from around the world announced an agreement to make relevant coronavirus research immediately available and free (Crowe 2020). The level of collaborations and information sharing (no firewall, no paywall, no patent issues etc.) is unprecedented.
Scientific research is normally operated in a cut-throat environment. Research proposals, manuscripts, grant applications are usually kept strictly confidential. It has been known that ideas are stolen, career paths are blocked, and grant applications are rejected because of leaking info. Highly-competitive environment naturally brings secrecy. Current climate of corona virus research is very different from science as usual. Facing crisis on a global scale, people come together and remarkably share what they know. Concerted efforts have been made to understand and tackle the virus.
It is said that the never-before-seen open climate of scientific research on corona virus is because we want to move things fast, solve problems quickly. The move to speed up publication and share research is a tacit admission that business-as-usual in research, in fact, slows down science, creates barrier to scientific advancements through journal subscription fee, paywall and secrecy. I don’t really have the simple answer as to how to overcome legacy architecture of scientific research and business model of research dissemination, but we surely need to come up with some improvement.
Sources:
Stoye E. China coronavirus: how many papers have been published? Nature Jan 2020
Crowe K. 'We're opening everything': Scientists share coronavirus data in unprecedented way to contain, treat disease CBC News Feb 2020