Publish or perish...

It gives a new meaning to the phrase "publish or perish". Scientists have not been sharing information about bird flu fast enough, say experts. While the World Health Organization keeps a database of viral sequences, access has been restricted, and other researchers have hoarded data for fear of rivals publishing it without giving them credit.

“Scientists have not been sharing information about bird flu fast enough”

To tackle these problems, researchers have now formed a consortium called the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data, which encourages scientists to deposit findings about the virus in databases such as the US-based GenBank within six months of discovery (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature442981a).

While many applaud the endeavour, they also worry that even six months is too long. "It's not soon enough," says Peter Palese, an influenza researcher at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Earlier last week the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it would also speed up the release of sequence data relating to influenza viruses.