OMICS Publishing Group: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox publisher |
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| name = OMICS Publishing Group |
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| status = Active |
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| founded = {{Start date|2007}} |
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| founder = Srinubabu Gedela |
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| topics = Science, technology, and medicine |
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| revenue = |
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| country = India |
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| headquarters = [[Hyderabad]] |
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| distribution = Worldwide |
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| publications = [[Open access journal]]s |
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| url = {{URL|http://www.omicsonline.org/}} |
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}} |
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'''OMICS Publishing Group''' is a [[Predatory open access publishing|predatory publisher]] of [[open access]] journals in a number of academic fields. It is part of the OMICS Group, based in [[Hyderabad]], India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.omicsonline.org/contact.php |title=OMICS Publishing Group :: Contact |publisher=Omicsonline.org |date= |accessdate=2012-10-03}}</ref><ref name=nature /> It issued its first publication in 2008.<ref name=proteomics>{{cite journal |last=Simpson |first=Richard J. |title=Editorial |journal=Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics |date=April 2008 |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=i–ii |url=http://www.omicsonline.org/ArchiveJPB/2008/April/01/JPB1.i.pdf |accessdate=November 20, 2012}}</ref> According to a 2012 article in ''The Chronicle'' about 60 percent of the group's 200 journals have never actually published anything.<ref name=CHE51513>{{cite news |title=Publisher Threatens to Sue Blogger for $1-Billion |url=http://chronicle.com/article/Publisher-Threatens-to-Sue/139243/ |accessdate=May 15, 2013 |newspaper=The Chronicle of Higher Education |date=May 15, 2013 |author=Jake New}}</ref> |
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Some academics and the United States government, have questioned the validity of [[peer review]] by OMICS journals, the appropriateness of author fees and marketing, and the apparent advertising of the names of scientists as journal editors or conference speakers without their knowledge or permission.<ref name=CHE20120304>{{cite web|last=Stratford |first=Michael |url=http://chronicle.com/article/Predatory-Online-Journals/131047/ |title='Predatory' Online Journals Lure Scholars Who Are Eager to Publish |publisher=Chronicle.com |date=2012-03-04 |accessdate=2012-10-02}}</ref><ref name=CHE20100701>{{cite web|url=http://charleston.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/content/charleston/chadv/2010/00000012/00000001/art00020 |title=The Charleston Advisor Update: Predatory Open-Access Scholarly Publishers |publisher=Charleston.publisher.ingentaconnect.com |date=2010-07-01 |accessdate=2012-10-02}}</ref><ref name=nature>Declan Butler, [http://www.nature.com/news/investigating-journals-the-dark-side-of-publishing-1.12666 "Investigating journals: The dark side of publishing"], ''Nature'', 27 March 2013</ref><ref name=science>Jocelyn Kaiser, [http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2013/05/government-accuses-open-access-p.html "ScienceInsider: U.S. Government Accuses Open Access Publisher of Trademark Infringement"], ''Science'', 09 May 2013</ref><ref name=TheHindu>[http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/internet/on-the-net-a-scam-of-a-most-scholarly-kind/article3939161.ece "On the Net, a scam of a most scholarly kind"] ''[[The Hindu]]'', 26 September 2012.</ref> As a result, the U.S. [[National Institutes of Health]] does not accept OMICS publications for listing in [[PubMed Central]] and sent a cease-and-desist letter to OMICS in 2013, demanding that OMICS discontinue false claims of affiliation with U.S. government entities or employees.<ref name=science/> OMICS has responded to criticisms by avowing a commitment to open access publishing and threatening a prominent critic with a US$1 billion lawsuit.<ref name=CHE51513/> |
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==Publishing activities== |
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OMICS Publishing Group was founded in 2007 by Srinubabu Gedela,<ref name=CHE51513/> who remains the company's director.<ref name=nyt>Gina Kolata, [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/08/health/for-scientists-an-exploding-world-of-pseudo-academia.html "Scientific Articles Accepted (Personal Checks, Too)"], ''New York Times'', 8 April 2013</ref><ref name=THIN>{{cite news|title= Pharma Body meeting |url= http://www.deccanchronicle.com/121124/news-current-affairs/article/mishaps-clinical-trials-hyped-says-pharma-body |accessdate=22 Oct 2013|newspaper=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref> It started its first open-access journal, the ''Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics'', in 2008.<ref name=proteomics/> OMICS Group has more than 250 journal titles. About 60 percent of them have no content.<ref name=CHE51513/> OMICS operates on an "author-pays" model. According to ''[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]'', some journals that are financed by authors are legitimate, while others are vanity publishers "that accept virtually any article to collect fees from the authors." It says there is not always a clear distinction between the two.<ref name=CHE20120304/> OMICS journal authors pay a publication fee of up to $2,700.<ref name=nyt /> |
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==Criticism of publishing practices== |
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OMICS is included in the "Beall's List", which documents publishers thought to likely be predatory publishers that "take advantage of academics desperate to get their work published." Many authors, faculty members and open-access advocates have "raised concerns about the practices of OMICS and the quality of its journals." They claim the journals are not actually peer-reviewed as advertised, often contain mistakes and that its fees are excessive.<ref name=CHE51513/> The company says that its activities are legitimate and ethical, but that the quality of its editorial control does need improvement.<ref name=CHE20120304/><ref name=nyt /> |
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It was also suggested that OMICS provides lists of scientists as journal editors to create the impression of familiarity or scientific legitimacy, even though these are editors in name only and are not involved in the review or editing process.<ref name=CHE20120304/> An [[editor-in-chief]] who was contacted by ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]'' stated that he had never handled any papers;<ref name=science/> in an interview with ''[[The Hindu]]'', another said he had not been informed of his purported editorship.<ref name=TheHindu/> The company has been slow to remove the names of editorial board members who requested to terminate their relationship with OMICS activities.<ref name=nyt /> |
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Some observers have described the publisher as "predatory", insofar as authors who have submitted papers have been sent invoices after their manuscripts were accepted for publication despite the lack of a robust [[peer review|peer-review]] process. Charges may be as high as US$3600.<ref name=CHE20120304/> One author received an invoice for US$2700 after her paper was accepted; this fee was not mentioned in the email message OMICS sent her to solicit a submission.<ref name=nature/> These observations have led critics to assert that the main purpose of the publisher is commercial rather than academic.<ref name=CHE20120304/><ref name=CHE20100701/> |
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Other criticisms of OMICS include the publication of pseudoscientific articles,<ref name=CHE20120304/> deceptive marketing practices,<ref name=CHE51513/><ref name=science/> targeting of young investigators or those in lower income regions,<ref name=science/><ref name=TheHindu/> and the advertising of academic or government scientists as speakers or organizers for OMICS conferences without their agreement.<ref name=science/> In 2012, an OMICS journal rejected a paper after the reviewer noticed it was plagiarised from a paper he had previously co-authored; another OMICS journal published the same paper later that year. The paper was removed from OMICS' website in 2014.<ref>Paul Jump, [http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/rejected-work-gets-back-in-the-line-up/2015033.article "Rejected work gets back in the line-up"], ''Times Higher Education'', 7 August 2014</ref> |
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In 2013, an OMICS journal accepted a bogus and obviously flawed publication submitted as part of a "sting" operation by ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]''.<ref>{{Cite pmid|24092725}}</ref><ref>http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6154/60/suppl/DC1</ref> |
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===Action by US government agency=== |
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In April 2013, OMICS received a cease-and-desist letter from the [[United States Department of Health and Human Services]] (DHHS). According to the letter, OMICS claimed on its website that its papers are featured in [[PubMed Central]], however the [[National Institute of Health]] had already told OMICS it would not accept its papers, due to "serious concerns" about its publishing practices by the [[National Library of Medicine]]. Additionally, it alleged OMICS was using images and names of employees that either no longer worked at NIH or did not provide their permission.<ref name=science/> OMICS responded by modifying its website and providing emails and letters allegedly from NIH employees. Those employees said they did not provide permission for their names to be used in marketing materials.<ref name=science/> |
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===Legal threat to Jeffrey Beall=== |
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In 2013 OMICS Publishing Group sent a letter to [[Jeffrey Beall]] stating that they intended to sue him and were seeking $1 billion in damages. In their six-page letter, OMICS stated that Beall's blog is "ridiculous, baseless, impertinent," and "smacks of literal unprofessionalism and arrogance."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chronicle.com/article/Publisher-Threatens-to-Sue/139243/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en |title=Publisher Threatens to Sue Blogger for $1-Billion |work=[[Chronicle of Higher Education]] |date=15 May 2013 |accessdate=18 January 2014 |author=New, Jake}}</ref> Beall said that he found the letter "to be poorly written and personally threatening," and that he thought "...the letter is an attempt to detract from the enormity of OMICS's editorial practices."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/15/184233141/publisher-threatens-librarian-with-1-billion-lawsuit |title=Publisher Threatens Librarian With $1 Billion Lawsuit |work=[[NPR]] |date=15 May 2013 |accessdate=18 January 2014 |author=Chappell, Bill}}</ref> |
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OMICS' law firm said it was pursuing damages under India's [[Information Technology Act 2000]], referring to section 66A, which makes it illegal to use a computer to publish "any information that is grossly offensive or has menacing character" or to publish false information. It stated that three years in prison was a possible penalty, although a U.S. lawyer said that the threats seemed to be a "publicity stunt" that was meant to "intimidate".<ref name=CHE51513/> An editorial in the [[New Delhi]]-based ''[[India Today]]'' cited the incident as evidence that Section 66A should be discarded to eliminate its use in "stifling political dissent, crushing speech and ... enabling bullying".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/section-66a-it-act-supreme-court-bullies-censorship-rohan-venkataramakrishnan/1/271900.html |title=Send Section 66A bullies home |author=Rohan Venkataramakrishnan |work=[[India Today]] |date=2013-05-19 |accessdate=2013-05-19}}</ref> |
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== References == |
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{{reflist|30em}} |
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== External links == |
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* {{Official website|http://www.omicsonline.org/}} |
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[[Category:Academic publishing companies]] |
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[[Category:Companies based in Hyderabad, India]] |
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[[Category:Open content publishing companies]] |
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[[Category:2007 establishments in India]] |
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Revision as of 03:16, 19 November 2014
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