Some scientists are posting all their research data online as soon as they produce it in the interests of collaboration and to improve communication, Nature reports. The risks include not being able to publish in a journal, for example, the American Chemical Society doesn’t allow prepublication in any form; having data stolen by rivals; and missing out on patents. Using a wiki with time stamps could be used as evidence of priority. In research involving privacy of patients or animal experimentation data should not be made fully or immediately available. (Nature 2008;455:273)
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