New NIH requirements to make funded research immediately accessible to the public have prompted complaints about financial strain and publishing disruption. Scientists say the policy’s accelerated timeline for public access, combined with high article‑processing charges and limited institutional support, has left researchers—and especially early‑career faculty—facing new costs and delays. The policy also spotlights the influence of commercial publishers and the uneven capacity of journals to adapt to immediate‑access mandates. Universities and research offices are grappling with how to fund compliance, protect faculty publishing choices, and negotiate with publishers that have long relied on subscription models.