Adoption of open peer review

Claudia Jurberg, Journalist and Social Media Editor of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Oswaldo Cruz Institute/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

As the Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz journal approaches its 116th anniversary, its editors, Adeilton Brandão and Ana Carolina Vicente, announced a significant change in an editorial: the journal will now adopt open peer review, publishing all interactions between editors, reviewers, and authors alongside the articles. The decision aligns the journal with the principles of open science and seeks greater transparency in the editorial process.

The editorial Opening the conversation in peer review, finally recalls the history of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC) since its creation in 1909, highlighting the evolution of methods for submitting and evaluating manuscripts. Initially, control was exercised through physical notebooks, some of which were lost over time, and it was only in the 1980s that there were signs of the adoption of external peer review. The process evolved gradually until it became digital as it is today.

According to the editors, opening up the peer review process is part of an ongoing effort over the past 10 years to achieve more transparent practices, fewer barriers to the dissemination of knowledge, and greater democratization of access to science. They highlight the importance of reducing publication costs and promoting the wide circulation of data, reinforcing their commitment to more open and accessible science.

Image: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.

The editorial also presents a scathing critique of the current model of scientific evaluation, based on metrics, prestige, and quantity of publications, to the detriment of relevance and originality. The editors question whether the increase in scientific production is, in fact, associated with greater creativity or innovation.

The journal Memórias do IOC, with more than 7,000 articles published throughout its history, bears witness to the exponential growth of global scientific production. The editors point out that the true motivation of science should be the search for solutions to relevant problems, whether through applied or basic research, with genuine recognition for those who contribute significantly.

Finally, they warn of the risks of fraudulent practices and scientific superficiality that grow in parallel with the pursuit of prestige. In a scenario marked by rankings and metrics, they defend the responsibility of journals in curating truly relevant content. They conclude that, with scarce resources, it is urgent to reduce low-impact scientific production and value quality over quantity.

To read the article, access

BRANDÃO, A.A. and VICENTE, A.C.P. Opening the conversation in peer review, finally. Opening the conversation in peer review, finally. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz [online]. 2025, vol. 120, e250005 [viewed 25 September 2024]. https://doi.org/10.1590/0074-02760250005. Available from: https://www.scielo.br/j/mioc/a/RkXVtWdDRqcTtdvZnBPbd7F

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