NIH Public Access Policy -- Public Comments Needed

The following is an email that went out to the PLoS ONE Editorial Board today. Please do consider contacting NIH in support of the Public Access Policy and against the attempts to further delay its implementation. Thanks.


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Dear Editorial and Advisory Board Members,

Apologies for sending this email round to everyone as this policy mostly applies to people in the USA, especially people funded by the NIH. However, anyone is free to comment.

As I am sure many of you know, the US congress recently passed a bill to require public access to NIH funded research. A summary of developments is here http://www.plos.org/cms/node/308.

The deadline for the implementation of the NIH Public Access Policy (4/7/08) is fast approaching and some traditional publishers are trying to delay this important step.

The NIH seeks your input immediately.
To fully understand the scientific and taxpayer community perspective of this important initiative, the NIH urges you to add comments at this website http://publicaccess.nih.gov/comments/comments.htm
by Monday 3/17 5pm EDT.

Please comment in your own words – however, you may find the following ideas useful in framing a response.
The proposed NIH policy:

Positively contributes to the advancement of science
Serves the public health—by enabling discovery, speeding treatment, and cures
Provides a direct return for public investment in the NIH
Keeps the USA in step with other countries who have recently enacted similar polices
Democratizes teaching and learning—by providing new resources for scientists to use in new and innovative ways.

If you have questions about the policy and how it affects you, you should ask these questions on the website, but we’d encourage you to preface them with a statement of support (it would be a shame if such questions were misinterpreted as a lack of support for the policy).

These comments will be considered alongside verbal presentations at the Open Meeting on Public Access on 3/20 (you may also register here http://publicaccess.nih.gov/comments/registration.htm to attend this meeting by Monday 3/17 5pm EDT).
Thank you, in advance, for letting the NIH know that you and your community supports this policy.

Please do feel free to forward this message along to U.S. colleagues, friends, and family members, as this policy affects researchers, patients, and the taxpaying public.

Best wishes,
Mark

Mark Patterson
Director of Publishing

Public Library of Science
European Office:
7 Portugal Place
Cambridge
CB5 8AF, UK

t: +44 (0)1223 463331
e: mpatterson@plos.org
w: www.plos.org
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