The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has launched their own publishing platform, with the aim of supporting researchers share their information as quickly as possible.
NIHR Open Research will help promote “reproducibility” and “transparency” within the research community by allowing members to rapidly publish any data they have uncovered, as well as the novel ability to release their incremental findings, case reports, and even negative discoveries too.
NIHR Open Research utilises a post-publication peer review model, which facilitates an expedited publishing process whilst also maintaining and optimising the quality of content on the platform.
The announcement follows an initial pilot of the platform and will now open itself up to all NIHR-funded and backed research.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR, said: “Research is best undertaken openly, transparently, and with all aspects available, to reflect the collaborative, team science approach endorsed by the NIHR.
“NIHR Open Research ensures that all types of findings from NIHR funded and supported research can be made freely available. Researchers will now be able to learn from the many small steps made by their peers as well as the big ones, and promising findings can be accelerated into benefits for patients and the public.”
The idea behind the platform is that by centralising all NIHR data in one place – which includes everything from clinical evaluation to technology development – researchers can build on new data straight away, thus circumventing the problem of duplication and streamlining the research process. This also means that new innovations get to patients quicker, ultimately improving health outcomes.
Professor Christian Mallen, a member of the NIHR Open Research Advisory Board and an NIHR Research Professor, said: “It is critical that research is easily accessible and available to all. Only then can we start to join together the different parts of the jigsaw that will allow us to improve outcomes for patients.
“All NIHR researchers can now use this exciting new platform to share any type of finding from their research, making their work visible not only to peers and potential collaborators but also to health and care professionals, policy makers, patients and service users, increasing the reach and potential impact of their research."
More information about the new publishing platform is available here.
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