Comment from Dong-Er Zhang
Dong-Er ZhangOpposeAcademic
Summary: A professor at the University of California opposes the proposed regulations, arguing that they could negatively impact biomedical research and the ability to share scientific discoveries. The commenter suggests that the OMB should explore online systems for free access to scientific information rather than terminating funding for journal subscriptions and publication costs.
I am a professor in University of California and have been doing biomedical research supported by NIH for over 40 years. I urge OMB not to finalize Sections 200.202, 200.205, 200.340, 200.454, and 200.461.
I oppose Sections 200.202, 200.205, and 200.340 because biomedical research is important and necessary for improvement of human health and enhancement of quality of our life and because biomedical research is not linked to political matters in the world.
I oppose Sections 200.454 and 200.461 because it is critical to learn discoveries from other scientists and to let others know my own discoveries. Before information of all of such discovery information is freely available online and recognized by the scientific community, we have to depend on publications, i.e. pay for Journal Subscriptions and Publication Cost. I suggest that OMB put effort in exploration of how to set up an online system, which make scientific discoveries freely available instead of termination of funding support of Journal Subscriptions and Publication Cost.