Part 7/10:
The shift from illegal activity to lawful advocacy marked a turning point for Shrine. Moving from clandestine downloads to direct negotiations and petitions demonstrated that collective action could influence publishers and policymakers, fostering a more open scientific landscape.
Historical Context: The Cost of Inaccessibility in Past Epidemics
Shrine reminds us that the issue isn’t new. During the 2015 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, crucial research papers warning about Ebola's potential and how to control its spread were behind paywalls. Ironically, these papers originated from the 1980s but were largely inaccessible to health officials in one of the poorest regions, hindering swift response efforts and potentially costing lives.