Definition · Plain-language
NIH Public Access Policy
The NIH Public Access Policy is the requirement that peer-reviewed papers arising from NIH funding be made freely available to the public through PubMed Central.
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What the policy requires
The NIH Public Access Policy requires that the final peer-reviewed manuscripts of papers arising from NIH funding be deposited in PubMed Central (PMC), the National Library of Medicine’s free full-text archive, so the public can read research it has funded. Authors and institutions are responsible for ensuring deposit and for citing NIH support; compliance is tracked through systems linked to eRA Commons and can affect future awards.
The 2024 update
NIH updated the policy in 2024 to align with the 2022 OSTP guidance. The key change is the removal of the optional embargo period: under the earlier framework papers could be withheld from PMC for up to twelve months after publication, whereas the updated policy makes the accepted manuscript publicly available without delay. The updated requirements apply to papers from the policy’s effective date at the end of 2025; NIH describes the policy neutrally as a condition of funding rather than guidance to individuals.
How it relates to open access
The Public Access Policy is a public-access mandate: it guarantees free reader access to the manuscript through PMC, but it is distinct from gold open-access publishing, where the version of record is openly licensed in the journal. A paper can satisfy the NIH policy through the green route — depositing the accepted manuscript — without the publisher making the formatted final article open. The policy operationalises, for NIH, the broader push toward immediate public access to federally funded research.
Key facts
At a glance
- Definition: policy requiring NIH-funded papers be made public
- Archive: PubMed Central (PMC), free full text
- Operator: NIH / National Library of Medicine
- 2024 update: removes the up-to-12-month embargo
- Effective: for papers from end of 2025
- Aligns with: 2022 OSTP (Nelson) guidance
Common misconceptions
What people often get wrong
Often heard: The policy still allows a 12-month embargo on papers.
Actually: The updated 2024 policy removes the optional embargo; accepted manuscripts are made available on PubMed Central without delay for papers from the end of 2025.
Often heard: Public access means the journal’s final version is free.
Actually: The policy guarantees free access to the accepted manuscript in PMC; the publisher’s formatted version of record may remain behind a paywall unless separately made open access.
Often heard: Compliance is optional or unenforced.
Actually: Public access is a condition of NIH funding; non-compliance is tracked and can affect the processing of grants and future awards.
Going deeper
