BMJ journals free to the developing world

Editorial - BMJ 2002;324:380 (16 February)
2002-02-18

Now free for the 100 poorest countries

The BMJ Publishing Group has for almost a year provided free access to the electronic version of its 23 specialist journals to anybody in the 50 poorest countries in the world.[1] (The BMJ and the studentBMJ are, of course, free to everybody everywhere.) Now we are extending free access to over 100 of the poorest countries in the world, which between them include most of the world's population (see box at:
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/324/7334/380 ).

Within a few weeks (once we have solved some technical problems) we will also provide free access to Clinical Evidence, our evidence based compendium of answers to commonly asked clinical questions.[2]

A list of the 23 BMJPG specialist journals is available at:
http://www.bmjpg.com/template.cfm?name=specjou

The BMJ is not alone in providing free access to those in the developing world. Our initiative comes just a few days after the switching on of the World Health Organization initiative, which provides institutions in the developing world with free or very low cost access to the publications of many of the big commercial publishers.[3] The WHO initiative is being extended to include more publishers, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists has just announced that it will be providing free access to its journals for those in the developing world.

Publishers can afford these initiatives because although journals are expensive to produce the cost of providing electronic access to one more individual is effectively zero. In contrast, the cost of printing and shipping a paper journal is substantial. Some cynics wonder if providing free electronic access to those in the developing world might be an empty gesture as internet access is limited. Access, however, is skyrocketing in the developing world, particularly with the spread of technology that avoids the necessity for wires in the ground. What's more, there is no point in spending money to get access if you can't then afford to access material. Making material free should fuel a virtuous circle of increasing access.

Healthcare workers in the developing world have for years had the problem of very limited access to the latest information.[1,4,5] Ironically, they might quickly have the problem of healthcare workers in the developed world of being overwhelmed with material of low quality and limited relevance. Providing free access to material is only one part of what is needed to improve the use of health information in the developing world. Initiatives are also necessary among those in the developing world to increase their own capacity to distil, package, present, and disseminate not only the material originating from the rich world but also their own material. Publishers and editors from the rich world should be able to help.

The final aim of these initiatives is not to send a flood of material from the rich to the poor world but for those in the developing world to become equal participants in the global discourse on health. We all stand to gain. Already, for example, the debate on bmj.com that occurs in our rapid responses has been enriched by increasing contributions from the developing world. And the magic of information is that increased access means more value for everybody. A piece of information that might mean nothing to most people might lead to a deep insight in somebody. This is how science develops.[6] And that remarkable person perhaps a Niels Bohr is just as likely to be in the developing world as anywhere else.

Richard Smith, editor.
BMJ and chief executive, BMJ Publishing Group
Alex Williamson, publishing director, specialist journals.
BMJ Publishing Group

1. Godlee F, Horton R, Smith R. Global information flow. BMJ 2000; 321:776-777.
2. Barton S. Using clinical evidence. BMJ 2001; 322: 503-504.
3. Kmietowicz Z. Deal allows developing countries free access to journals. BMJ 2001; 323: 65.
4. Pakenham-Walsh N, Priestley C, Smith R. Meeting the information needs of health workers in developing countries. BMJ 1997; 314:90.
5. Kale R. Health information for the developing world. BMJ 1994; 309: 939-942.
6. Rhodes R. The making of the atomic bomb. New York: Touchstone, 1986.