[Open Access: In Between the Bright and the Dark Side]

The open access movement began in the 1990s, but it is only in recent years that the phenomenon has really taken hold and has become a tangible commitment for the scientific community. While open access is fundamentally intended to enhance knowledge accessibility and promote data transparency, its rapid expansion has exposed significant systemic vulnerabilities. Most notably, the emergence of so-called "predatory journals" - criticized for prioritizing publication volumes over rigorous peer review - poses a serious threat to the integrity of scientific research. As a result, many institutions have come to view them with scepticism or disregard them entirely. In this review, we aim to provide an impartial perspective on open access in scientific publishing, with particular attention to the potential drawbacks and pitfalls for the scientific community. While the benefits of open access are evident and widely acknowledged, this review specifically examines areas where it has drawn criticism. Finally, after highlighting these challenges, we explored how institutions currently support researchers - and how they could further strengthen this support - in meeting their obligations.