Open sesame

"Nature's publishers have consistently backed the NIH mandate, and support its extension to other agencies. But whatever form the extension takes, it should be flexible about the compulsory time limit within which papers must be deposited in archives following their publication in journals. The NIH initially insisted on a 6-month embargo interval, but agreed to extend this to 12 months after protests from some publishers. Governments must not impose a one-size-fits-all embargo interval....Publishers must be able to negotiate embargo intervals that will fulfil their obligation to allow greater public access but not jeopardize their businesses. And publishers, in turn, need to recognize that science's social contract is evolving towards greater openness."