The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) has launched the first issue of IJTLD OPEN – a fully-compliant, open access journal to enhance the coverage of TB and lung disease.
IJTLD OPEN will sit alongside its sister journal the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD). Until now, the IJTLD has operated as a hybrid journal, with both subscription content and open access (OA) articles. However, several funding agencies (including the World Health Organization, Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust) have mandated their researchers to publish exclusively in fully OA journals, and hybrid journals are no longer supported.
Read the first issue for free here: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iuatld/ijtldo/2024/00000001/00000001
GB Migliori, Editor-in-Chief of IJTLD OPEN commented: “We are excited to have taken this important step for our community, creating a high-quality journal that is free to read. IJTLD OPEN has the same values, scope and Editorial Board as its sister title the IJTLD, but being open access means it has even greater reach. We believe this will further improve access to important scientific knowledge.”
This first issue of IJTLD OPEN features a representative collection of articles, including Editorials highlighting TB in children and adolescents; and the need for action after the UN High-Level Meeting on TB. The mix of Original Articles includes ‘Characteristics of TPT initiation and completion among people living with HIV’, ‘Screening of household contacts for TB infection’, ‘Clinical spectrum of disease and outcomes in children with Omicron SARS-COV-2 infection’, ‘Key drivers of the TB epidemic in Suriname’, ‘Timeliness metrics for screening and preventing TB in household contacts of pulmonary TB patients’, and ‘Commitment, partnerships and operational research: three priorities for 11 EMR countries to achieve TB elimination’.
Hugh Blackbourn, Director of Publications at The Union, said: “We believe that open access is a highly effective and equitable publishing model, which will drive the dissemination of knowledge for future generations. Our hope and expectations are that IJTLD OPEN will play a significant role in this process. Instead of restricting access to subscribers, the author-pays model allows everyone to access the content for free, which will ensure the Journal is widely read and cited. Open access also has societal benefits, with improved awareness and understanding of respiratory disease for all concerned. In this way, we can address issues such as stigma, and promote greater access to treatment, helping to remove barriers to improve healthcare.
Source: The Union