Dear Reader,
When the COVID-19 crisis began, The Cancer Letter made the decision to take down our paywall, and provide coverage of the pandemic free of charge “until this crisis is resolved” (The Cancer Letter, April 3, 2020).
One crisis quickly expanded, as the disease attacked underserved communities—and a struggle for health equity expanded into a struggle for social justice. In these times of tumult, it’s essential not only to hear the voices of scientists, physicians, and other leaders, but also the voices of those who have come to know injustice directly, through lived experiences.
Diversity is an indisputable prerequisite for any institution’s relevance—not a lofty goal. In recent months, the issues of The Cancer Letter swelled to unprecedented heft as we provided authoritative, uncompromising coverage, conversations with experts, and guest editorials from leaders in oncology. And our readership numbers skyrocketed.
All of our coverage of COVID-19 and its impact on cancer patients, cancer research, and cancer care is available on our coronavirus landing page. These stories will remain accessible.
As this crisis persists, our goal is to inform. This mission includes providing a platform for voices that must be heard as America struggles to control a deadly virus—and fights for justice and equity in health care and in our society as a whole. We will be here, covering this “new normal” for a long time to come.
Subscriptions make up 90% of our revenue, and we cannot make The Cancer Letter open-access indefinitely. Starting next Friday, July 3, 2020, the paywall will slowly begin to return. Not all stories will be behind the wall, however. When we determine that a public-interest story is of overwhelming importance, we will make it open-access, as we have done in the past.
What does this mean?
If you are not a subscriber:
You can purchase an individual subscription. Select “monthly recurring” or “annual” and enter the code TRUTH at checkout to receive $165 off your subscription. This offer is valid for new and lapsed subscribers only.
You can also request a group or institutional rate. We are offering discounted first-year rates, as well as a complimentary advertising package. For a quote, please reach out to katie@cancerletter.com.
The Cancer Letter has over 200 institutional subscribers.
If you are an individual subscriber, or use a username and password:
Log in as usual. You will be unaffected by this change.
If your institution has an IP-verified subscription:
You may log in by clicking “IP Login” in the top left corner of the website, or in our weekly emails. This will only work if you are on your institution’s network.
If you have an institutional subscription and now work from home:
If you are not on your institution’s network, you can access The Cancer Letter through your VPN. Log into your VPN, and then click IP Login as usual.
Most academic institutions and larger organisations offer some form of VPN (virtual private network). This is hosted through your institution, and is frequently used for remote access to numerous databases and publications. Please contact your library or IT department to inquire further. If you are a Doximity member, your institution’s VPN may also be listed there.
If your institution does not have a VPN, or if you receive an error message saying your VPN’s IP is not registered, please contact katie@cancerletter.com and we will work together to find a solution that works for you and your coworkers.
Thank you for the good work you are doing on the front lines of this crisis, and for turning to The Cancer Letter for information about cancer and SARS-CoV-2.
Paul Goldberg
Editor & Publisher
