The National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s Data Management and Sharing Policy

Abstract

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Data Management and Sharing Policy provides flexibility for temporary restrictions on data sharing, such as embargo periods or exclusive use periods, to balance the goals of open science with practical, legal, and ethical considerations. The NIH’s Data Management and Sharing Policy mandates that shared scientific data should be made accessible as soon as possible, and no later than the time of an associated publication or the end of the performance period, whichever comes first. 

Researchers are encouraged to consider relevant requirements and expectations (e.g., data repository policies, award record retention requirements, journal policies) as guidance for the minimum time frame that scientific data should be made available, which researchers may extend.

Researchers must clearly outline any anticipated restrictions or delays in their DMS Plans, providing justification for temporary restrictions. The DMS Plan must specify when and how data will become openly accessible, ensuring transparency in the process.

The NIH supports the use of repositories that can implement tiered or controlled access to datasets, providing access only to authorized users during periods of restriction.

Overview

Country	United States
Start date	2023
Annual Budget	n/a
Responsible organisation(s)	Government agency
Target group(s)	Researchers, academic institutions, and the general public who benefit from access to NIH-funded research outputs
Policy instrument type	Institutional Policy document

Background

This policy builds on the NIH’s longstanding commitment to making the results of NIH-funded research available. It aligns with broader efforts to enhance data sharing and management practices in the scientific community.

The White House OSTP Policy Memorandum on Open Access (2022) directs federal agencies to ensure that publications and supporting research data resulting from federally funded research are made immediately accessible upon publication without embargo periods. The NIH, like other federal agencies, is expected to update its policies to ensure compliance with the OSTP mandate by the 2025 deadline.

Objective(s)

To promote the sharing of scientific data to accelerate biomedical research discovery, enable validation of research results, and provide accessibility to high-value datasets.

Public access URL

https://sharing.nih.gov/data-management-and-sharing-policy

All tags

• Incentives & Rewards
• United States
• 2023
• Government agency
• Civil society
• Established researchers
• Higher education institutes
• International entity
• National government
• Students
• Public research institutes
• Strategies, agendas and plans
• Clear rules for temporary restrictions

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