Access to content

The Lancet began as an independent, international weekly general medical journal founded in 1823, and has evolved to a family of journals. An increasing number of journals within our portfolio are Gold Open Access, meaning all content is completely free to read; a number that is growing year on year. All other journals in the Lancet family are Green Open Access, or ‘hybrid’ journals, publishing a combination of Open Access, free to read with registration, and subscription content. For low- and middle-income countries, discounts to subscription content are available as part of our Research4Life programme. Find out more about our commitment to Open Science, and our growing portfolio of Open Access journals.

You can keep up to date with all the latest content published across the Lancet family of journals by signing up for Lancet Alerts . You can receive electronic Table of Contents and other alerts including early notification of Online First content, Lancet Updates, Global Burden of Disease Alerts, Conference Alerts, our Author Newsletter, and more.

Lancet Alerts

Am I a guest visitor, registered user, or subscriber?

Guest visitor: as a guest visitor (no login required) you have full and unlimited access to all Open Access content published across the Lancet journals, as well as other types of content published in our subscription journals that have been made free.

Registered user: you have created a free account with the Lancet journals. This one-time registration allows you to access additional free content on TheLancet.com, and to customize journal preferences for content updates, article reading lists, and more.

Subscriber: you are subscribed (either via a personal subscription or through your institution) to one or more of the Lancet subscription journal(s) which means you can access all content published in your chosen journal(s).

What content can I access across the Lancet family journals?

Depending on whether you are a guest visitor, registered user, or subscriber, and what journal you wish to read, you will be able to read different types of content. Below you can explore what content you have access to.

Learn more about various content types published by Lancet journals.

How to access subscription content

Below are ways you can access subscription content:

Institutional access: all Lancet journals are available via ClinicalKey for hospital online access. TheLancet.com supports academic, corporate, and government institutional online access. If you do not have access you can request institutional access.

Personal subscription: Alternatively, you can purchase a personal subscription to one or more Lancet journals. This will ensure you have full access to all content published in the journal(s) to which you subscribe.

If you are an existing personal subscriber and unsure how to access content on TheLancet.com to which you are entitled, find out more

The Lancet Choice: the Lancet Choice is a credit-based payment option that allows you to access any five premium articles of your choice from across the Lancet family of journals on TheLancet.com.

Access for low-income countries: All countries in the Hinari programme can access all subscription content on TheLancet.com for free or at very low cost through our collaboration with Research4Life.