A new era in open-access publishing

The world of scientific publishing is at a crossroads. For decades, established peer-review publishing models have placed immense financial burdens on researchers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Authors are often required to pay exorbitant and prohibitive fees to make their work visible, or readers are locked out behind costly paywalls and expensive subscriptions. This system perpetuates inequities, stifles innovation, and allows the publishing industry to profit disproportionately from the work of the scientific community, creating an imbalance in the global exchange of knowledge.

The Journal of Global Surgery (ONE) introduces a groundbreaking publishing model designed to overcome these challenges. This inaugural issue showcases unique innovations within a community-driven model—approaches never before implemented in scientific publishing. An innovative manuscript submission system has been developed to streamline workflows for authors, reviewers, and editors while significantly reducing operational costs. By leveraging automation and efficiency, every expense is transparently analyzed and shared with the broader global surgery community, ensuring accountability without compromising the high standards of peer-reviewed publishing. The peer review process has also been reimagined, with reviewers receiving financial stipends to recognize their contributions. This approach acknowledges peer reviewers as the essential component of peer-reviewed publishing—without whom high quality would not be possible—and values their invaluable time and expertise. Such recognition is rarely seen in established models.

Once an article has been accepted for publication, the journal introduces a groundbreaking community payment model. This approach allows readers, authors, or other interested parties to contribute as little as $0.10 toward covering the article’s already exceptionally low publication cost, and gain instant access to the content. Once the article’s publishing cost is covered, the article becomes open access to all. By transitioning articles to open access after recovering these minimal costs, this model guarantees both equitable access and long-term sustainability.

One of the significant barriers in creating an inclusive publishing model is the limitation of traditional payment systems, which often fail to provide access for all participants, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To overcome this, the Journal of Global Surgery (ONE) has integrated Bitcoin Cash into its payment infrastructure. This cryptocurrency enables global, permissionless, and borderless microtransactions, ensuring that the global community can participate without the restrictions imposed by conventional payment networks.

The success of this approach is evident in the inaugural issue, where 11 articles were fully funded by the community within hours of publication, demonstrating its transformative potential in reshaping how research is shared globally. This milestone highlights the diversity and impact of global surgical research, supported by our internationally recognized editorial board and a growing global network of peer reviewers.

This journal has set a new standard for academic publishing—one that prioritizes equity, transparency, and sustainability—ushering in a future where knowledge is accessible to all. Welcome to the Journal of Global Surgery (ONE).