Open Science Stands as the Last Defense Against Growing Anti-Science Policies.

In recent months, researchers around the world who depend on open-access U.S. data and interactive research tools have increasingly been met with a troubling message: “Oops! This page cannot be found.” These disruptions come amid proposed federal budget reductions targeting major research agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). At the same time, initiatives supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion are being rolled back, health-related data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are being altered or deleted, and the systematic collection of healthcare data is being deprioritized.

These developments signal a potential crisis in the U.S. scientific ecosystem. Undermining critical scientific infrastructure and talent could inflict lasting harm on America’s leadership in global science and innovation. More importantly, such policies may erode public confidence in research. Already, the uncertainty is prompting scientists to seek opportunities abroad. In response, the European Commission has announced its “Choose Europe for Science Program,” allocating over $500 million between 2025 and 2027 to recruit scientists—especially those from the U.S.—affected by federal funding cuts.

At this pivotal time, the most effective countermeasures are rooted in transparency and accountability. Globally, the scientific community is moving toward a more open, inclusive, and democratic framework. Europe’s Plan S initiative mandates open access to all publicly funded research, enhancing both equity and visibility. The expansion of Open Research Europe further supports this approach by offering a centralized, open-access platform across the continent. Similar efforts are underway elsewhere: Japan has launched a ¥10 billion initiative to make government-funded research freely available, and India’s “One Nation One Subscription” policy grants roughly 18 million students and researchers access to around 13,000 journals.

China has also contributed to this global shift with DeepSeek, a large language model that encourages open sharing and reuse of its algorithms—marking a sharp contrast with more closed systems like the U.S.-based ChatGPT. Meanwhile, the U.S.’s own attempts to democratize scientific knowledge, such as the 2022 Nelson Memo promoting open access, now face an uncertain trajectory.

Open science stands at the forefront of resistance to anti-science policies. It champions transparency, integrity, rigor, and accountability. Advocates argue that research findings, data, code, and associated metadata should be freely accessible to all. This approach not only broadens access but helps restore and strengthen public trust in science.

More than just open-access publishing, open science seeks to transform institutions into knowledge hubs that engage the public in generating and sharing knowledge. This model encourages collaboration across academia, industry, government, nonprofits, and the media—especially vital in politically volatile environments.

The scientific community has a critical role in defending research integrity. Scientists are urged to publish their work on preprint servers to bypass paywalls and ensure immediate access. In sharing research, it is vital to include complete datasets, protocols, and source code in alignment with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. Additionally, open peer review—where researchers publicly comment on preprints and published papers—can foster constructive dialogue and transparency.

Institutions can play a supporting role by integrating preprints into journal clubs and recognizing them in hiring, tenure, and funding decisions. Journals and researchers must also commit to promptly correcting errors in the scientific record, reinforcing accountability.

Science inevitably intersects with politics, but its integrity must remain separate from political interests. Upholding this boundary is the responsibility of the scientific community. In the face of growing anti-science sentiment, open science may be the most powerful tool scientists have to protect the future of knowledge.

Source:https://www.the-scientist.com/open-science-an-antidote-to-anti-science-73018

This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.