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PubMed, PubMed Central, and NIH Public Access Policy: A Guide

Key Definitions

• PubMed: A freely accessible bibliographic database maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). It primarily contains citations and abstracts for biomedical literature.
• PMID (PubMed Identifier): A unique number assigned by the NLM to every record indexed in PubMed (including article abstracts).
• PubMed Central (PMC): A free full-text digital archive maintained by the NLM, containing complete journal articles.
• PMCID (PubMed Central Identifier): A unique number assigned by the NLM to every full-text article deposited in PubMed Central.

The NIH Public Access Policy: Why PMCID is Crucial

The NIH Public Access Policy mandates that peer-reviewed publications arising from NIH-funded research must be made publicly accessible in PMC. Compliance with this policy is a legal requirement.

• When Citing: Anyone submitting an NIH application, proposal, or report must include the PMCID (not just the PMID) when citing articles that fall under this policy.
• Memory Aid: Think of the "C" in PMCID as standing for "Compliance."
• Your Responsibility: As an NIH-funded author, you must ensure that applicable articles are deposited in PMC and are assigned a PMCID as soon as the article is accepted for publication.

PMID vs. PMCID: Key Differences

 

 

Feature	PMID (PubMed ID)	PMCID (PubMed Central ID)
What it Identifies	A record in the PubMed database (citation/abstract).	The full-text article in the PubMed Central archive.
Assigned To	All entries in PubMed.	Only full-text articles in PubMed Central.
Policy Requirement	Not sufficient for NIH compliance.	Required for NIH Public Access Policy compliance.
Format	Numeric only (e.g., 12345678).	Begins with "PMC" followed by numbers (e.g., PMC1234567).

Action Steps for NIH Researchers

1. Determine Applicability: Use the NIH Public Access Policy Compliance Wizard to confirm if your article falls under the mandate.
2. Plan Early: Develop your public access compliance strategy as you write and submit your manuscript. Coordinate with your journal/publisher regarding their deposition process.
3. Secure the PMCID: Do not assume a PMID is enough. You must take active steps to ensure the final, peer-reviewed manuscript is submitted to PMC and receives a PMCID.
4. Report Correctly: When reporting publications to NIH (e.g., in progress reports, biosketches, or grant applications), always cite the PMCID.

In summary: For NIH compliance, the PMCID is the mandatory identifier. Ensure your articles are properly deposited in PubMed Central to obtain this identifier and fulfill your funding obligations.