We support Plan S principles and will adopt an immediate open access policy from January 2022 | Cancer Research UK

"Open access publishing enables researchers to build on research findings without the barrier of paywalls or the need for subscription-based access. COVID-19 has turned the spotlight on the public health importance of quick and effective dissemination of research, including immediate open access to peer-reviewed research articles. 

Over the past year and a half, we have consulted our researcher and patient communities to understand their views on open access publishing. As part of this consultation, we have asked them whether we ought to support and/or fully implement the open access initiative ‘Plan S’.

We strongly support the aims and many of the key principles of Plan S, in particular its goal of making peer-reviewed scholarly research articles immediately openly accessible for all. Our detailed, face-to-face consultation sessions have shown that patients and researchers also support this goal.  

The guidance for implementing Plan S has been adjusted since the initial implementation plan was proposed at the end of 2018, and publishers are working to adjust their models to comply with current Plan S requirements. However, many researchers have concerns about the impact of Plan S upon implementation in January 2021, particularly concerning their ability to publish in hybrid journals. Researchers also expressed concerns over the differences in the current level of support for Plan S from funders across the globe, particularly in North America, which could disadvantage those tied to Plan S publishing requirements by their funders.  

Our priority is the effective dissemination and early availability of our research for patient benefit. While we are becoming a supporter of Plan S, and adopting an immediate open access policy that will come into effect from January 2022, we are not becoming a signatory at this stage, and will still provide funding for open access publishing costs for Cancer Research UK (CRUK)-funded articles in hybrid journals.  ..."