- NIH will cap how much publishers can charge to make taxpayer-funded research publicly accessible
- The move aims to boost transparency and stop double-dipping by major publishing companies
- New policy takes effect in 2026 as part of NIH’s effort to rebuild public trust in science
In a move aimed at restoring trust in public health and protecting taxpayers, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced plans to cap how much publishers can charge researchers to make their findings publicly available.
“Creating an open, honest, and transparent research atmosphere is a key part of restoring public trust in public health,” said NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. “This reform will make science accessible not only to the public but also to the broader scientific community, while ending perverse incentives that don’t benefit taxpayers.”
Right now, some publishers charge scientists as much as $13,000 per article for “open access” publishing—even when the research was publicly funded. On top of that, the NIH pays these same publishers millions more in subscription fees, making taxpayers pay twice: first for the research, then to read it.
Starting in fiscal year 2026, the NIH will introduce a cap on publication costs. The goal is to rein in skyrocketing fees, boost transparency, and ensure more people—not just insiders—can benefit from federally funded research.
This new policy builds on previous NIH efforts, like the Public Access Policy, the Data Management and Sharing Policy, and online tools like RePORT, which allow anyone to see how NIH dollars are being used.
“This policy marks a critical step in protecting the integrity of the scientific publishing system while ensuring that public investments in research deliver maximum public benefit,” Dr. Bhattacharya said.
To learn more, visit www.nih.gov.