Open Access News

News from the open access movement


Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Pressure to commercialize vs. data sharing

Timothy Caulfield, Do Gene Patents Hurt Research?, Science Progress, October 29, 2009.

... There is solid evidence that commercialization pressure and the involvement of industry can:

  • adversely affect the collaborative nature of research
  • increase data withholding behavior (that is, stop researchers from sharing information)
  • lead to the premature implementation of technologies
  • distort research results and corrode public trust.

For example, a 2009 study by Hong and Walsh concluded that “commercial linkages and increased pressures from scientific competition” was a predictor of increased data withholding. This study also found that, in the realm of biology, data withholding was not correlated with patenting. Commercialization pressure, not patenting, is the problem. ...