The future of scientific publishing: challenges and a vision for change | Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine

"High subscription costs and article processing charges lock many researchers out of publishing and reading, reinforcing disparities between well-resourced and less-resourced institutions. Community-driven platforms such as SciELO and African Journals Online demonstrate that high-quality, affordable publishing is possible, offering models that should be more widely supported. For some, the economics of publishing are unsustainable with a handful of publishers maintaining very high profit margins while universities and other institutions paying high subscription costs. Participants at the meeting in London considered the importance of treating publishing as shared infrastructure, similar to a public utility, supported by collective funding and governed in the public interest for physical and engineering sciences in medicine, where innovations must circulate globally in order to impact patient care, affordability and openness are vital.

The Royal Society meeting emphasised that change will require collaboration across stakeholders: publishers, libraries, funders, and research communities must act collectively to realign incentives, enhance trust, and sustain open infrastructures. For the physical and engineering sciences in medicine disciplines, reliable, accessible, and fairly evaluated publications will underpin scientific progress and clinical safety.

A message from the Royal Society London meeting was that the community should engage actively in shaping this evolving publishing ecosystem. Individually, quality over metrics can be prioritised and journals supported that embrace transparency and innovation. Collectively, we can endorse reform initiatives, invest in open infrastructure, and advocate for policies that balance equity with excellence. If we defend scholarship with these principles, we can help build a publishing system that is resilient, inclusive, and worthy of public trust. The opportunity is before us to ensure that the future of publishing serves science, medicine, and the broader society alike."