[FC-discuss] Action alert: (U.S.) Contact your Senator with support for public access to NIH-funded research

[Gavin Baker]

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From: The Alliance for Taxpayer Access (http://www.taxpayeraccess.org)

Call to action: Contact your Senator with support for public access to
NIH-funded research

As the Senate considers Appropriations measures for the 2008 fiscal year
this fall, please take a moment to remind your Senators of your strong
support for public access to publicly funded research and ­ specifically
­ensuring the success of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Public
Access Policy by making deposit mandatory for researchers.

Earlier this summer, the House of Representatives passed legislation
with language that directs the NIH to make this change
(http://www.taxpayeraccess.org/media/release07-0720.html). The Senate
Appropriations Committee approved a similar measure
(http://www.taxpayeraccess.org/media/release07-0628.html). Now, as the
Appropriations process moves forward, it is critically important that
our Senators are reminded of the breadth and depth of support for
enhanced public access to the results of NIH-funded research. Please
take a moment to weigh in with your Senator now.

Contact information for the Senate is included below. Please call or
write with your support **no later than Friday, September 28, 2007**.

Feel free to draw upon the following talking points:

* American taxpayers are entitled to open access on the Internet to the
peer-reviewed scientific articles on research funded by the U.S.
government. Widespread access to the information contained in these
articles is an essential, inseparable component of our nation's
investment in science.

* The Fiscal Year 2008 Labor/HHS Appropriations Bill reported out of
committee contains language directing the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) to change its Public Access Policy so that it requires NIH-funded
researchers to deposit copies of agency-funded research articles into
the National Library of Medicine's online archive.

* Over the more than two years since its implementation, the NIH's
current voluntary policy has failed to achieve any of the agency's
stated goals, attaining a deposit rate of less than 5% by individual
researchers. A mandate is required to ensure deposit in NIH¹s online
archive of articles describing findings of all research funded by the
agency.

* We urge the Senate to support the inclusion of language put forth in
the Labor/HHS Appropriations bill directing the NIH to implement a
mandatory policy and ensuring free, timely access to all research
articles stemming from NIH-funded research ­ without change ­ in any
appropriate vehicle.

(We'll be making additional resources for patient advocates ­ including
the recording of our August 30 Web cast and specific talking points ­
available shortly as well. Watch the ATA Web site or email me directly
for updates.)

Again, please take a moment to express your support for public access to
research to your Senator as soon as possible and no later than September
28. As always, we'd appreciate it if you'd let us know of what action
you're able to take, or send a copy your letter to the ATA through (202)
872-0884 (fax). Thank you!

Contact information for Senators:
http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

- --
Gavin Baker
http://freeculture.org/
gavin at freeculture.org

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