NIH issued a notice on April 30, 2025 as a revision to the 2024 NIH Public Access Policy for Publications. The 2024 Policy noted the effective date applicable to:
Author Accepted Manuscripts accepted for publication
on or after December 31, 2025.
Per revision notice: Revision: Notice of Updated Effective Date for the 2024 NIH Public Access Policy, the new effective date of the 2024 Policy is now applicable to:
Author Accepted Manuscripts accepted for publication
on or after July 01, 2025
Recommendations for Authors
1. Confirm journal policies before submitting a manuscript for peer review.
Journal policies for manuscripts being prepared for submission should be reviewed to confirm that authors have the right to comply with the 2024 NIH Policy for Publications (revised April 30, 2025). The Policy applies to works accepted for publication on or after July 01, 2025. Works accepted for publication on or after July 01, 2025, should not be subject to an embargo period—the full text must be made available in PubMed Central upon publication.
Journal Policy Considerations:
- Does the journal stipulate an embargo period? If yes, reach out to the journal and advise them that the work is subject to the 2024 NIH Public Access Policy for Publications which requires immediate access to the full text in PubMed Central upon publication.
- How will the work be submitted to PubMed Central?
- Which version of the work will be submitted to PubMed Central?
Also of note, NIH states that compliance with the Policy does not require the payment of an Open Access fee to a journal. The free pathway to compliance can be achieved by depositing the Author Accepted Manuscript into PubMed Central for public availability upon the Official Date of Publication without embargo.
If you need clarification of a journal policy, please reach out to Cathy Sarli or Amy Suiter.
2. Authors are strongly encouraged to include the NIH Rights Statement in manuscripts along with the required funding acknowledgement. The NIH Rights Statement serves to inform publishers and journals that the work is subject to the NIH Policy and that NIH, as the funding agency, has the right to make the Author Accepted Manuscript publicly available in PubMed Central upon the Official Date of Publication.
“This manuscript is the result of funding in whole or in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is subject to the NIH Public Access Policy. Through acceptance of this federal funding, NIH has been given a right to make this manuscript publicly available in PubMed Central upon the Official Date of Publication, as defined by NIH.”
Source: Government Use License and Rights Notice Number: NOT-OD-25-049
Information:
WashU
- Washington University in St. Louis. Research News. Revision Notice for the 2024 NIH Public Access Policy for Publications. April 30, 2025.
NIH
- NIH. Revision: Notice of Updated Effective Date for the 2024 NIH Public Access Policy Notice Number: NOT-OD-25-101. April 30, 2025.
- NIH. Accelerating Access to Research Results: New Implementation Date for the 2024 NIH Public Access Policy. Jay Bhattacharya. April 30, 2025.
- NIH Office of Science Policy. Transforming Transparency Through Policy. Lyric Jorgenson. April 30, 2025.
Need help? Have questions?