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HSLIC Scholarly Communication Initiative

NIH Policy Guide


Submission Guidance: How Do I Submit My Manuscript to PubMed Central (PMC)


The NIH uses the NIH Manuscript Submission (NIHMS) system to manage all publications related to the Policy.  The submission process is easy and generally takes less than 10 minutes if you have all the documents and information ready. 

There are 3 ways to use this system to submit Policy related manuscripts.

  1. To manually submit manuscript from a non-PMC journal. You will need:
    • the manuscript files (e.g., MS Word document and figures)
    • the manuscript information (journal name, manuscript title)
    • the NIH award(s) information
    • the release date for the manuscript (embargo period)

    After receiving and converting your files to PMC the system will send an email asking you to return and release the submission for public display.

  2. To submit a manuscript from a journal that participates in PMC.  You will need:
    • journal title
    • the NIH award(s) information

    The journal will submit the files at the agreed upon time (up to 12 months after publication).

  3. To approve a manuscript submitted on your behalf.  You will need:
    • the release date for the manuscript (embargo period)

    Your manuscript will appear on PMC at the specified time.

There are online tutorials for all of these topics on the NIH Manuscript Submission (NIHMS) system website: http://www.nihms.nih.gov/web-help/index.html.