Overview

The NIH Public Access Policy ensures that the public has access to the published results of NIH funded research. It requires scientists to submit journal final peer-reviewed manuscripts that arise from NIH funds to the digital archive PubMed Central (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/). The Policy requires that these articles be accessible to the public on PubMed Central to help advance science and improve human health.

How to Comply

Address Copyright

Make sure that any copyright transfer or other publication agreements allow the final peer-reviewed manuscripts to be submitted to NIH in accordance with the Policy.

Submit Papers

Authors may submit a paper to the journal of their choice for publication.

1. Some publishers make the final published version of every NIH-funded article publicly available in PubMed Central within 12 months of publication, without author involvement. See http://publicaccess.nih.gov/submit_process_journals.htm for a list of these journals.
   
   
2. For any journal other than one of those in this list, the author must:
   
   
1. Inform the journal that the final peer-reviewed manuscript is subject to the Public Access Policy when submitting it for publication.
   
   
2. Make sure that any copyright transfer or other publication agreement allows the final peer-reviewed manuscript to be submitted to NIH in accordance with the Policy. For more information, see the FAQ Whose approval do I need to submit my article to PubMed Central? and consult with your Institution.
   
   
3. Submit the final peer-reviewed manuscript to NIH, upon acceptance for publication. See the Submission Process for more information.

When citing their NIH-funded papers in NIH applications, proposals or progress reports, authors must include the PubMed Central reference number for each article.

Important Dates

• April 7, 2008
  As of April 7, 2008, all final peer-reviewed manuscripts arising from NIH funds must be submitted to PubMed Central upon acceptance for publication.
• May 25, 2008
  As of May 25, 2008, NIH applications, proposals, and progress reports must include the PubMed Central reference number when citing a paper that falls under the policy and is authored or co-authored by the investigator, or arose from the investigator’s NIH award. This policy includes applications submitted to the NIH for the May 25, 2008 due date and subsequent due dates.
  

The Law

The NIH Public Access Policy implements Division G, Title II, Section 218 of PL 110-161 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008) which states:

SEC. 218. The Director of the National Institutes of Health shall require that all investigators funded by the NIH submit or have submitted for them to the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central an electronic version of their final, peer-reviewed manuscripts upon acceptance for publication, to be made publicly available no later than 12 months after the official date of publication: Provided, That the NIH shall implement the public access policy in a manner consistent with copyright law.