Pfizer supports open-access for researchers in low-income countries

Global pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer has reached an agreement with BioMed Central to launch an open-access waiver fund, which will support  automatic waivers of publication fees for authors from low-income  countries. As a result, researchers in low-income countries can publish  research articles in BioMed Central's open access journals without the  need to pay a publication fee.

Speaking of the accord, Jack Watters, vice president, Pfizer external  medical affairs, said: "Pfizer's support for open-access publishing is  driven by a recognition of the wide benefits of global access to the  latest research results, and the crucial role that open access journals  can play in the communication of those results. In addition, we feel  that it is critically important that the benefits of scientific  publication are extended to all scientists who do quality research, and  that providing this access will promote much-needed recognition of  research conducted in developing countries."