JMIR Publications and ZB MED Extend Flat-Fee Unlimited Open Access Publishing Agreement Through 2028
(TORONTO & COLOGNE, September 10, 2026) JMIR Publications, a leading independent open-access digital health research publisher, and ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences, Germany's national infrastructure and research hub for data and information in the life sciences, announce a two-year extension of their Flat-Fee Unlimited Open Access Publishing Agreement.
Key Highlights
- Agreement Extension: JMIR Publications and ZB MED have extended their Flat-Fee Unlimited Open Access Publishing Agreement for two years, running through December 31, 2028.
- Benefits for Researchers: Participating German research institutions receive unlimited open-access publishing with zero Article Processing Charges (APCs) for their affiliated researchers.
- Journal Coverage: The partnership covers over 30 Gold Open Access journals within the JMIR Publications portfolio, which features 25 journals with a Journal Impact Factor including twelve Q1 journals.
Originally scheduled to expire at the end of 2026, the new agreement extends the partnership through December 31, 2028. Under this renewed agreement, corresponding authors at participating German institutions will continue to benefit from unlimited open-access publishing with zero Article Processing Charges (APCs). There are currently eight research institutions participating in the agreement and all ZB MED members are invited to join for 2027.
“Continuing our collaboration with JMIR Publications through 2028 provides the German research community with reliable conditions for open access publishing,” stated Petra Labriga, Head of Strategic Licensing at ZB MED. “Our mission is to support life sciences researchers throughout the research cycle in line with the principles of open science. JMIR’s Unlimited Open Access Publishing Subscription offers an interesting approach to providing predictable and sustainable funding for open access publishing.”
"We are proud to extend our partnership with ZB MED. Petra highlights an important point: open science requires predictable and sustainable conditions to succeed. For independent, fully open-access publishers who have always been 100% open, dedicated institutional funding is essential to stay viable alongside legacy publishers. By participating in our subscription model, ZB MED demonstrates how institutions can actively preserve independence and diversity in scholarly publishing while providing life sciences researchers with seamless open access."
The agreement covers publishing across JMIR’s portfolio of over 30 Gold Open Access journals, including the highly regarded Journal of Medical Internet Research. Eligible authors can seamlessly take advantage of the APC waivers during the submission process by listing their participating institution and using their official institutional email address.
About ZB MED
ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences is Germany’s national infrastructure and research hub for data and information in the life sciences. Their digital services support research projects that benefit people and the environment: from medicine and biodiversity to environmental protection.
About JMIR Publications
JMIR Publications is a leading independent open-access publisher of digital health research and a champion of open science. With a focus on author advocacy and research amplification, JMIR Publications partners with researchers to advance their careers and maximize the impact of their work. As a technology organization with publishing at its core, they provide innovative tools and resources that go beyond traditional publishing, supporting researchers at every step of the dissemination process. Their portfolio features a range of peer-reviewed journals, including the renowned Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Media Contact:
Dennis O’Brien, Vice President, Communications & Partnerships JMIR Publications communications@jmir.org
The content of this communication is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, published by JMIR Publications, is properly cited.