Information
NIH Public Access Policy
Select NIH Public Access Policy FAQs
These are the most germane FAQs from NIH’s extensive list. The complete list is available at: http://publicaccess.nih.gov/FAQ.htm#c1
- To what papers does the NIH Public Access Policy apply?
The Policy applies to any manuscript that:
- Is peer-reviewed;
- And, is accepted for publication in a journal on or after April 7, 2008;
- And, arises from:
- Any direct funding 1 from an NIH grant or cooperative agreement active in Fiscal Year 2008, or;
- Any direct funding from an NIH contract signed on or after April 7, 2008, or;
- Any direct funding from the NIH Intramural Program, or;
- An NIH employee.
Authors may submit final peer-reviewed manuscripts accepted before April 7, 2008 that arise from NIH funds, if they have appropriate copyright permission.
1 "Directly" funded means costs that can be specifically identified with a particular project or activity. See NIH Grants Policy Statement, Rev. 12/2003.
- What is the difference between a final peer-reviewed manuscript and final published article?
Final peer-reviewed manuscript: The Investigator's final manuscript of a peer-reviewed paper accepted for journal publication, including all modifications from the peer review process.
Final published article: The journal’s authoritative copy of the paper, including all modifications from the publishing peer review process, copyediting and stylistic edits, and formatting changes.
- I want to submit my final published article to PubMed Central through the NIH Manuscript Submission System. Why does NIH require me to submit the final, peer-reviewed manuscript?
The NIH Public Access Policy is based on a law that requires investigators to submit "their final, peer-reviewed manuscripts" to PubMed Central. NIH will accept the final published article in lieu of the final peer-reviewed manuscript, provided that the author has the right to submit this version. NIH's experience to date is that virtually all authors relinquish this right to a publisher when they sign a publication agreement with a journal. Some Journals post final published articles directly to PubMed Central. See http://publicaccess.nih.gov/submit_process_journals.htm for more information.
- To what types of papers does the NIH Public Access Policy apply?
The Policy applies to all peer-reviewed journal manuscripts. The Policy does not apply to non-peer-reviewed materials such as correspondence, book chapters, and editorials.
- Am I responsible for papers that arise from my NIH-funded project for which I am not an author?
Principal Investigators and their Institutions are responsible for ensuring all terms and conditions of awards are met. This includes the submission of final peer-reviewed manuscripts that arise directly from their awards, even if they are not an author or co-author of the paper. Principal Investigators and their Institutions should ensure that authors are aware of and comply with the NIH Public Access Policy.
- The scope of the NIH Public Access Policy refers to awards that are 'directly funded' by NIH. Does this mean only those awards that an institution receives directly, or does it include sub-awards?
Direct funding generally includes sub-awards because they are associated with a particular award. See “To what papers does the NIH Public Access Policy apply?” for all the inclusion criteria. Your institution should be able to assist you in determining whether NIH direct funds were involved.
- What is a primary awardee’s responsibility for sub-recipient compliance with the NIH Public Access Policy?
The primary awardee's obligation to ensure sub-recipient compliance with the NIH Public Access Policy is the same as the awardee's responsibility for other requirements when collaborating with other organizations in carrying out NIH-supported research. Accordingly, the NIH Public Access Policy requirement should be incorporated into sub-recipient agreements, and the primary awardee remains responsible for compliance.
- Is the NIH Public Access Policy a condition of award?
The NIH Public Access Policy is a Term and Condition of Award for all grants and cooperative agreements active in Fiscal Year 2008 (October 1, 2007- September 30, 2008), and for all contracts awarded after April 7, 2008.
- My paper has multiple authors and/or is funded from multiple NIH sources. Who should submit the final peer-reviewed manuscript?
Any author may submit the final peer-reviewed manuscript, but each Principal Investigator and Institution is responsible for ensuring that the terms and conditions of their award are met. A final peer-reviewed manuscript need only be submitted once to the NIH Manuscript Submission system. Authors will be notified during the submission process if they try to submit a manuscript that has already been submitted.
Papers can be assigned multiple NIH award numbers during submission. They can also be linked to an award via the eRA Commons when completing an electronic Progress Report, or listed as arising from any NIH award in writing when submitting an application, proposal or progress report.
- How do I include the PubMed Central reference number in my citations?
List the PubMed Central reference number (PMCID) at the end of the already-required full journal citation for the paper in applications, proposals and reports.
Examples:
Cerrato, A., et al., Genetic interactions between Drosophila melanogaster menin and Jun/Fos. Dev Biol. 2006 Oct 1; 298(1): 59-70. PMCID: PMC2291284
Sala-Torra, O., et al., Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression and outcome in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood. 2007 April 1; 109(7): 3080–3083. PMCID: PMC1852221
- What do I do if the PubMed Central reference number (PMCID) has not been assigned yet?
If a manuscript was submitted through the NIH Manuscript Submission System (NIHMS) and a PubMed Central reference number is not yet available, include the NIH Manuscript Submission System reference number (NIHMS ID) instead.
Example, before PMCID is available:
Cerrato, A., et al., Genetic interactions between Drosophila melanogaster menin and Jun/Fos. Dev Biol. 2006 Oct 1; 298(1): 59-70. NIHMSID: NIHMS44135
The same article, once the PMCID is available:
Cerrato, A., et al., Genetic interactions between Drosophila melanogaster menin and Jun/Fos. Dev Biol. 2006 Oct 1; 298(1): 59-70. PMCID: PMC2291284
- Do I have to include a PMCID for every paper that I cite in an NIH application, proposal or progress report?
Yes, include the PMCID if the paper is:
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