Some recent challenges to openness and freedom in scientific publication

Most scientists probably share Einstein’s commitment to searching for and revealing the truth. This commitment implies a variety of ethical norms and values, including honesty, integrity, objectivity, openness, freedom, carefulness and fairness (Shamoo and Resnik 2002). However, professional ambitions and rivalries, financial interests, intellectual property disputes, ideological agendas and other social, economic and political influences can disrupt or derail the quest for the truth (Ziman 2002; Kitcher 2001). Since modern research is a social phenomenon, it is not possible to eliminate these social, economic and political factors from the scientific milieu (Kuhn 1970; Hull 1988; Longino 1990). Even so, scientists, research sponsors and academic institutions should strive to maintain a strong commitment to the search for the truth, and they should develop policies and institutions that minimize the impact of external biases and influences on research (Shamoo and Resnik 2002). Many of the important ethical problems and issues in scientific research reflect the clash between science’s ethical ideals and these non-scientific (external) influences in the contemporary research environment (Resnik 1998). Nowhere has the clash between scientific and non-scientific values been more evident than in the area of publication and the dissemination of information, where private and government interests may conflict the scientific commitment to search for and reveal the truth. This paper will discuss several recent problems for openness and freedom in scientific publication related to the private sponsorship of research and the threat of bioterrorism. The paper will also suggest some potential solutions to these problems.