Massimo Pinto of Italy’s Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome has discovered an unusual qualification for being a peer reviewer of research done at Italian institutions: paying your taxes. Since 2006, Italians have been allowed to donate 0.5% of their taxes to selected non-profit organizations. On his Nature Network blog, Science in the Bel Paese, Pinto points out that individuals can elect to donate their contributions to specific research institutes.
The process could have the effect of bypassing the peer-review system for research projects, which, Pinto argues, could have dire effects on research in a country such as Italy, where science-funding levels are low. Some institutes have even taken to advertising for donations, but providing no details of the research the tax money will fund. “The particular advert that irritated me was a dialogue between two young citizens,” writes Pinto. “One was asking whether the researchers in XYZ University were really going to deliver results, and the other one replied, reassuringly, that they were among the very best in Europe. Donating to them was a guarantee of success.”
Nature 453, xi; 22 May 2008
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From the blogosphere
An archive of the "From the Blogosphere" column on the Authors page in Nature, highlighting nature.com blog posts of interest to scientists in their role as authors and peer-reviewers. We welcome comments and suggestions.
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Peer review by taxpayer -- 22 May 2008
- Date:
- Thursday, 22 May 2008 - 14:23 UTC
Last updated: Thursday, 22 May 2008 - 14:23 UTC
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Comments
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Thank you Maxine! The Italian media is now focusing on this as well.
In fact, it may be a good moment to discuss about peer-review in Italy: yesterday’s issue of Nature, where this From the Blogosphere article is published, also includes a letter by an Italian Medical Doctor and Senator on the introduction of peer-review in Italy.
It’s exciting. Well, may be not so much for most users of Nature Network whose science education was much based on peer review. But for Italians, this can be really exciting.
Hey, are you a celebrity now, then, Massimo? I would much rather be seeing you on TV talking about peer review, than Carla Bruni “crooning about her love” for the French President according to one current news report.
I certainly think it is an exiting topic, and deserves wide attention. Well done to you for writing about it.
Ha! A celebrity may be not, but a red carpet on August 30th would be appreciated.
Ciao!