Dear Doctors:

On February 3, 2005, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published its "Public Access Policy." According to this policy, authors of papers reporting results of NIH-funded research are asked to deposit into the PubMed Central database the full text (including tables, figures, images) of their articles immediately after acceptance for publication by a peer-reviewed journal. At the time of deposit, authors are asked to specify when the article can be made public, with the maximum time delay set by NIH at 1 year after print publication.

A summary of the NIH policy and some guidance on implementation may be found at

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-045.html

We are writing to help clarify details of the NIH policy and to describe the response of Radiology and the RSNA.

To what work does the NIH policy apply?

The NIH policy applies only to manuscripts reporting the results of research for which at least one author has NIH funding. It does not apply to work funded by other sources. In addition, the policy applies only to manuscripts accepted for publication on or after May 2, 2005.

How does the NIH policy affect copyright?

RSNA still requires that authors transfer copyright to their manuscript to RSNA when they submit it to Radiology. The copyright statement has been modified to allow authors of NIH-funded work to comply with the NIH request. Other than this modification, the rights and permission policies of RSNA remain the same: Third parties who wish to use portions of an author’s article must still ask permission of the RSNA. RSNA in turn informs authors of the third-party request (or asks the third party to do so) and gives authors the opportunity to indicate whether they approve the permission request.

Does putting my manuscript in PubMed Central make it a work "in the public domain"?

No. While its presence in PubMed Central makes your work publicly accessible, it does not make it “public domain.” It is still protected by copyright, and should not be used by third parties without permission. However, many may assume that your work’s presence in PubMed Central puts it in the public domain.

Will RSNA still offer authors a license to their images?

Yes, absolutely. RSNA will maintain the policy according to which authors are given a license for use of their images, eliminating the need for contacting the RSNA for permission.

When must I deposit my NIH-funded article with PubMed Central?

First, remember that you are not required to make the deposit—NIH says deposit is voluntary. Second, NIH wants you to deposit your article after peer review and acceptance for publication. For Radiology, that means when your final revision has been accepted.

What am I being asked to submit to PubMed Central?

NIH is asking that you submit your accepted manuscript, and it will call this the "Author Manuscript" on the PubMed Central site. This is not the final version of your manuscript.

As you know, after your manuscript is accepted for publication, it undergoes further editing and production processing to become an article in Radiology. The article in Radiology—online and in print—is the official version, in the journal of record. This is the version that should be cited in future references to your work, in order to maintain the scientific record and ensure that citations to your work are accurately recorded and counted. Therefore, in your final revision, Radiology asks that you include the following statement on the title page of your manuscript before you deposit it with PubMed Central:

This author manuscript accepted for publication in Radiology has not been copyedited and proofread and is not the official, definitive version that will be published in Radiology online and in print, copyright 200_ The Radiological Society of North America. The RSNA disclaims any responsibility or liability for errors or omissions in this early version of the manuscript or in any other version derived from it by the National Institutes of Health or any other third party. The final published version of the manuscript can be found at the Radiology website (radiology.rsnajnls.org) and will be available for free 12 months after its publication in Radiology.

The PubMed Central version will include a link to the official version published online in Radiology.

When I deposit my article in PubMed Central, is it then available to the public?

When you deposit your accepted manuscript in PubMed Central, you are asked to specify a date for its public release. This can be any time, from immediately to 12 months after print publication. Some publishers and journals are requiring a 12-month waiting period. RSNA and Radiology are not requiring but encouraging that you specify 12 months. It is up to you, the author.

Will RSNA deposit accepted manuscripts on behalf of the authors?

The NIH PubMed Central system does not currently allow submissions by publishers, so RSNA will not be able to deposit authors’ manuscripts on their behalf. However, the Society is monitoring the PubMed Central system as it develops and if the system later includes the capability, RSNA may be able to deposit author manuscripts.

If you have questions about RSNA practices with respect to the NIH policy, please contact Roberta Arnold at the RSNA office in Oak Brook (rarnold@rsna.org). She will be happy to assist you.

Thank you for your attention and your continued interest in Radiology.