据知情人士透露，特朗普政府正在考虑，通过行政命令要求联邦政府经费资助的所有研究成果的论文立即免费向公众开放。本周三，包括美爱思唯尔、威立、麦克伦米伦、麦格劳希尔和新英格兰医学杂志在内的125家学术出版社联合签署了一封致特朗普总统的信，对这一想法表示“深切关注”，他们认为这可能“损害从事创建高质量同行评审期刊和研究文章的美国机构的知识产权”。
这封信强调了美国科学研究在为美国经济利益服务方面所发挥的作用，因为受版权保护的期刊文章“授权给成百上千的外国用户使用，创造了数十亿美元的出口额，支撑着大量的美国企业和就业岗位”。尽管消息在正式公布前就造成了强烈反应。但美国科学技术政策办公室传播总监不愿就此发表评论，“我们不会对可能会或可能不会发生的内部审议过程发表评论。”不过，这并没有阻止科学协会和学术协会。
上周，参议院司法知识产权小组委员会主席汤姆·蒂利斯参议员给美国商务部和白宫发送私人信函，对该项可能执行的“将要求科学期刊文章立刻免费获取”的行政命令表示关切。蒂利斯写道，这样的政策变化“可能构成政府对本来运转良好的私人市场的重大干预，这会让医生、科学研究人员和其他人选择如何发表这些重要的科学成果。”这一可能的政策变化不是白宫第一次宣称对科学出版的权威。
2013年，美国科学技术政策办公室制定了一项新规则，要求由联邦资助的科学研究成果在发表的12个月后将免费提供给公众。在此之前，学术期刊出版社通常声称拥有其发表文章的版权，并以此支撑他们现有的订阅商业模式。美国出版商协会表示支持2013年的这项措施，称其“合理、平衡地解决了由联邦机构资助的研究被公众获取的问题。
”在周三发表的公开信中，该组织及其125多名合作者认为，规定将研究成果的论文立即免费开放获取“将使大多数美国出版商很难投资出版这些文章。”来自大约60个科学学会的第二封公开信希望特朗普政府在制定任何新的政策前，先与出版商和其他有关方面进行合作。学术出版社们宣称这项拟议的政策将“损害从事创建高质量同行评审期刊和研究文章的美国机构的知识产权”。
但众所周知，研究文章是由政府资金资助，由科研人员投入劳动生产的。出版商以出版为由，要求科研人员放弃版权以换取出版。
获取公开信请点击下方“阅读原文”：公开信的签署名单如下：AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine，American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology，American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry，American Academy of Family Physicians，American Academy of Neurology，American Academy of Ophthalmology，American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons，American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery，American Academy of Pediatrics，American Association for Anatomy，American Association for Cancer Research，American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus，American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases，American Association for the Surgery of Trauma，American Association of Immunologists，American Association of Occupational Health Nurses，American Association of Physicists in Medicine，American Astronomical Society，American Cancer Society，American Ceramic Society，American Chemical Society，American College of Cardiology，American College of Emergency Physicians，American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists，American College of Physicians，American College of Radiology，American College of Rheumatology，American College of Surgeons，American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages，American Counseling Association，American Dental Association，American Diabetes Association，American Gastroenterological Association，American Geophysical Union，American Geriatrics Society，American Headache SocietyAmerican Heart Association，American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics，American Institute of Chemical Engineers，American Oil Chemists Society，American Medical Association，American Neurological Association，American Physiological Society，American Psychological Association，American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association，American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics，American Society for Nutrition，American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology，American Society for Bone and Mineral Research，American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy，American Society for Clinical Pathology，American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association，American Society for Investigative Pathology，American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition，American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics，American Society for Radiation Oncology，American Society of Anesthesiologists，American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers，American Society of Agronomy，American Society of Animal Science，American Society of Civil Engineers，American Society of Clinical Oncology，American Society of Cytopathology，American Society of Health-System PharmacistsAmerican Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air-Conditioning Engineers，American Society of Hematology，American Society of Mechanical Engineers，American Society of Nephrology，American Society of Neurorehabilitation (ASNR)，American Society of Plant Biologists，American Society of Plastic Surgeons，American Society of Transplantation，American Society of Transplant Surgeons，American Thoracic Society，American Urological Association，American Water Works Association，Association for Computing Machinery，Association for Molecular Pathology，Association for Psychological Science，Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography，Association of American Publishers，Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health，Association of Teacher Educators，Biophysical Society，Common Ground Research Networks，Council of Medical Specialty Societies，Council of Scientific Society Presidents，Crop Science Society of America，Ecological Society of America，Elsevier，Endocrine Society，Financial Management AssociationGenetics Society of America，Infectious Diseases Society of America，Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences，Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers，International Anesthesia Research Society，International Literacy Association，International Society for Sexual Medicine，Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, Diabetes Technology Society，Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education，Macmillan，McGraw-Hill Education，Milbank Memorial Fund，National Council on Family Relations，National Kidney Foundation，New England Journal of Medicine published by the Massachusetts Medical Society，Orthopaedic Research Society，Radiological Society of North America，Seismological Society of America，Shock Society，Society for Leukocyte Biology，Society for Research on Adolescence，Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues，Society for Research in Child Development，Society of Plastics Engineers，Soil Science Society of America，Software and Information Industry Association，The Heart Rhythm Society，The Histochemical SocietyThe Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, Inc.，The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society，The Optical Society，The Triological Society，The Voice Foundation，University of Chicago Press，U.S. Chamber of Commerce，Wiley，Wolters Kluwer。