Leading Cancer Charity Stops Funding Open Access Publishing Because It’s Just Not Working

Why It Matters

Redirecting donor funds toward cancer research could accelerate breakthroughs, while the shift signals growing skepticism toward hybrid OA models across the research‑funding sector.

Key Takeaways

• Cancer Research UK will cut OA funding, saving £5.2 m (~$6.6 m).
• Hybrid journals keep paywalls while charging authors, eroding OA cost benefits.
• Charity shifts to green OA with six‑month embargo as interim solution.
• Move aligns with DORA, encouraging broader research assessment beyond impact factors.

Pulse Analysis

The open‑access movement promised free, universal access to scientific findings, yet the rise of hybrid journals has turned it into a costly double‑dip for institutions. In hybrid titles, authors pay article‑processing charges to make their work freely available, while libraries continue to subscribe to the same journals for the rest of the content. Cancer Research UK’s decision to withdraw funding highlights how this model has stalled the financial efficiencies that charities and universities expected, prompting a re‑evaluation of how research outputs are financed and disseminated.

By reallocating the £5.2 million it would have spent on OA fees, the charity can channel more resources directly into cancer research projects, potentially accelerating drug development and clinical trials. For researchers, the shift means relying on green OA—self‑archiving a manuscript in repositories like Europe PMC after a six‑month embargo—rather than paying for immediate gold OA. While green OA preserves accessibility, the embargo delays the rapid sharing of results that can be critical in fast‑moving fields such as oncology, raising concerns about the timeliness of knowledge transfer.

The broader implications extend beyond a single charity. As more funders question the value of hybrid publishing, the pressure on publishers to transition to fully open models may increase. Initiatives like DORA, which Cancer Research UK has adopted, encourage assessment based on research quality rather than journal prestige, potentially reducing the incentive to publish in high‑impact hybrid venues. Alternative models such as diamond OA—where neither authors nor readers pay—are gaining attention as sustainable pathways. The charity’s stance could catalyze a collective push toward more transparent, cost‑effective publishing ecosystems that better serve both science and society.