Commercialization challenges open science | European Journal of Public Health | Oxford Academic

"Open science is increasingly important not just within the research community, but also among decision-makers and citizens, the society at large. Recently, the UNESCO adopted a Recommendation on Open Science (2021),1 highlighting principles including open and equal access to research publications, data and methods. The recommendation further emphasizes that open science infrastructures ‘should be not-for-profit and guarantee permanent and unrestricted access to all public’ as well as function ‘in the global and public interest and without market dominance on the part of any commercial entity’. Open science is a positive trend fostering scientific development and extending equal access to knowledge and its production at all levels from individuals to the global scene.

Unfortunately, negative trends, too, have hit the scientific community, putting restrictions on open science. Public health research offers a case underlining the importance of promoting and safeguarding the principles of open science and combatting their violations....

The GHQ provides a good example of commercialization. The measure was adopted in the early 1970s and ever since it has been a major one in population studies on mental health and screening people with mental problems for treatment. However, a British commercial firm, Mapi Research Trust has acquired all rights for the GHQ and all users, be they academic, commercial or healthcare professionals, are equally subject to charges. Users need to register and buy a license. Additionally, a user fee is due, currently approximately 1 euro per each study participant. The firm does not announce details of the costs. The GHQ measure, managed by the Mapi Research Trust, contains literally the same questions as Goldberg’s original one from 1972.3 Thus, the private firm has not participated in the development of the instrument in any way. Its role is solely limited to marketing and collecting fees, which can amount to high sums. For example, if a study with 10 000 participants includes three commercialized measures repeated three times, its costs for using the measures only may rise up to 100 000 euros...."