Worldwide inequality in access to full text scientific articles: the example of ophthalmology.
Christophe BoudryPatricio Alvarez-MuñozRicardo Arencibia-JorgeDidier AyenaNiels J BrouwerZia ChaudhuriBrenda ChawnerEmilienne EpeeKhalil ErraïsAkbar FotouhiAlmutez M GharaibehDina Hosameldin HassaneinMartina C Herwig-CarlKatherine HowardDieudonne Kaimbo Wa KaimboPatricia-Ann LaughreaFernando A LopezJuan Daniel Machin-MastromatteoFernando Korn MalerbiPapa Amadou NdiayeNina Asrini NoorJosmel Pacheco-MendozaVasilios P PapastefanouMufarriq ShahCarol L ShieldsYa Xing WangVasily D YartsevFrederic MouriauxPublished in: PeerJ (2019)
The scant number of available full text "paywalled articles" in most institutions studied encourages researchers in the field of ophthalmology to use Sci-Hub to search for scientific information. The scientific community and decision-makers must unite and strengthen their efforts to find solutions to improve access to scientific literature worldwide and avoid an implosion of the scientific publishing model. This study is not an endorsement for using Sci-Hub. The authors, their institutions, and publishers accept no responsibility on behalf of readers.