Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences (EPS) is an international, peer-reviewed journal established in 1992 by Michele Tansella. It was originally intended to promote the use of an epidemiological approach to the study of all aspects related to the promotion of mental health, and to the prevention and treatment of mental disorders. The first Editorial, published in Italian in the first issue in 1992, emphasised the need to assist the growth of epidemiological psychiatry as a new discipline, based on the use of epidemiological methods to advance knowledge in the field of social psychiatry and, more generally, in all the diverse fields of psychiatric sciences. Here visionary Editorial Michele Tansella quoted John Ziman, who wrote in 1976: ‘…the hallmark of a new discipline is the establishment of a specialised journal catering to the scholarly needs of its exponents. It constitutes an act of solidarity and sodality, and polarises the subject around it’. The cover was green to convey a sense of hope, health, adventure and renewal, as well as self-control, compassion and harmony. After more than 25 years Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences still has a green (although virtual) cover, has published hundreds of high-quality original contributions, editorials, commentaries and special articles, and from January 2020 will move to an open access format. It continues to strive to promote the use of epidemiology to advance knowledge in mental health.

The main advantage of the new open access format of the Journal is that readers, anywhere in the world, will be able to access any type of published contribution without a subscription. This is a major development, fully in line with current policies on open science and data sharing, and aligned with the journal’s mission of promoting the use of epidemiological methods in mental health. And while, in place of subscription fees, authors that are able to will be asked to pay an article processing charge for publication, this will be mitigated by the following factors:

1. the journal offers 100% automatic waivers or a 50% discount for papers where the corresponding author is based in a low-resource country, depending on a pre-defined set of economic indicators
2. authors will have the opportunity to apply for discretionary waivers
3. authors of invited materials, including editorials and special articles, will not be asked to pay the article processing charge, meaning that the journal Editors will continue to be free to implement a very well oriented editorial agenda, in line with the themes briefly mentioned in this Editorial, always attempting to shed light on important and controversial topics that do not receive enough attention globally.

Based on these premises, our intention for the future is that the new open access version of Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences will be able to fulfil its role more powerfully, energising and consolidating the discipline of epidemiological psychiatry around its scientific community, being responsive and open to the needs of its exponents, including professionals, policy makers, politicians, service users and their families and the wider society.

Visit the journal homepage at cambridge.org/eps to learn more about EPS and how to submit your latest research.