Research junkies take note

[Guest guest]

" As of May 2, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has asked the

investigators it funds to submit voluntarily to PubMed Central

(www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov) an electronic copy of any scientific

report, on acceptance for publication, and to specify when the article

should become public. According to the NIH, " Posting for public

accessibility through [PubMed Central] is requested and strongly

encouraged as soon as possible (and within twelve months of the

publisher's official date of final publication). "

That's at the top of the TOC of the latest New England Journal of

Medicine.

The article goes on to discuss how this came about and what the

concerns are about its effect on research. To my mind, some of the

concerns are valid, though of course I am also delighted we'll have a

whole lot more grist for the mill.