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How to Comply with the NIH Public Access Policy

Directions for investigators publishing NIH-funded research

Demonstrating Compliance

After depositing your paper, anyone submitting an application, proposal or report to the NIH must include the PMCID when citing applicable papers that they author or that arise from their NIH-funded research. The PubMed Central reference number (PMCID) is not the same as a PMID. 

Additionally, all NIH funded researchers must:

  • Create a MyNCBI account linked to your eRA Commons account
  • Add all NIH funded publications to My Bibliography
    • Add all articles that resulted from funding that you are a PI for, even if you are not an author
    • Add peer-reviewed articles from research funded by NIH, even if they are not in PubMed
  • Monitor your compliance in My Bibliography using the Awards display
    • Address articles marked with a red dot or question mark
    • Edit status of articles
    • Add grants
  • Generate Research Performance Progress Reports from My Bibliography.

Is my paper compliant?

The following icons require no action on your part:

  • Green dot: Compliant. The PMCID number will be displayed.
  • Yellow dot: Manuscript submitted and in progress.

The following icons require action:

  • Red dot: Not compliant 
  • Question mark: Compliance can't be determined without additional information.

You must follow these steps to ensure compliance. Once done, click "Edit Status" link to enter supporting information for the citation. 

Using My Bibliography

My Bibliography is a free tool available within MyNCBI, accessible through PubMed, that you will use to demonstrate compliance. My Bibliography allows you to save references to your own publications by either exporting from PubMed or entering manually. My Bibliography also syncs with your eRA Commons account, allowing you to see whether your publications comply with the NIH Public Access Policy.

  • Don't have an account? Sign up here. If you have an eRA Commons account, click the eRA Commons button at that sign-in page. Your eRA Commons account is now linked with your MyNCBI account.
  • Already a MyNCBI account? Sign in here. Once signed in, click your name in the top right corner. Click Account Settings. Scroll to Linked Accounts then click Add Account. Login to your eRA commons account to link the accounts.

Using My Bibliography for Compliance

How to cite your paper

For papers published more than 3 months before the application, proposal or report is submitted

List the PMCID at the end of the citation for the paper in NIH applications, proposals and reports. A PMCID is the only way to demonstrate compliance.

Sala-Torra O, Gundacker HM, Stirewalt DL, Ladne PA, Pogosova-Agadjanyan EL, Slovak ML, Willman CL, Heimfeld S, Boldt DH, Radich JP. 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

 

For papers in press, or published within 3 months of when an application, proposal or report is submitted:

If the journal is depositing the paper, put “PMC Journal - In Process” or the PMCID at the end of the citation.

Sala-Torra O, Gundacker HM, Stirewalt DL, Ladne PA, Pogosova-Agadjanyan EL, Slovak ML, Willman CL, Heimfeld S, Boldt DH, Radich JP. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression and outcome in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood. PMCID: PMC Journal - In Process
 

If you have deposited the paper, put a valid NIHMSID or PMCID at the end of the citation. Remember that the NIHMSID will become invalid three months after a paper is published.

Cerrato A, Parisi M, Santa Anna S, Missirlis F, Guru S, Agarwal S, Sturgill D, Talbot T, Spiegel A, Collins F, Chandrasekharappa S, Marx S, Oliver B. Genetic interactions between Drosophila melanogaster menin and Jun/Fos. Dev Biol. In press. NIHMSID: NIHMS44135

 

Place the citations in the appropriate location. The appropriate locations vary depending on the application type.  See the Guide Notice NOT-OD-08-119 for details.