New Libraries Guide for Updated NIH Public Access Policy
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has accelerated the implementation of its updated public access policy required of all peer-reviewed research papers related to NIH-funded activities. Beginning July 1, 2025, researchers who have received a grant from the NIH must submit an electronic version of their accepted manuscript to PubMed Central immediately upon their paper’s final acceptance for publication to be made publicly available upon its Official Date of Publication. There will no longer be a 12-month embargo period before public availability.
This updated policy was previously set to begin in December 2025. The NIH may delay the processing of non-competing renewal awards until all publications relevant to the award are brought into compliance.
To support researchers, the BU Libraries have created a NIH Public Access Policy Guide (library.bu.edu/NIHpublicaccess). This guide explains the updated public access policy, and offers guidance and resources related to the submission process and methods, copyright and licensing issues, and relevant citation management tools. Researchers can contact the Guide’s authors or other librarians for additional assistance.