In October of 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new Data Management and Sharing Policy that goes into effect on Jan. 25, 2023. Penn State has assembled a committee to provide guidance and training on this new policy.
The new Data Management and Sharing Policy offers a more comprehensive, flexible and modern approach to data management and sharing requirements than prior policies (although still related). The policy aims to foster a culture of data stewardship by advancing rigorous and reproducible research and promoting public trust in research.
The policy will apply to any research funded or conducted in whole or in part by NIH that results in the generation of "scientific data", which NIH defines as "recorded factual material…of sufficient quality to validate and replicate research findings, regardless of whether the data are used to support scholarly publications." A main objective of the policy is to "maximiz[e] the sharing of scientific data while acknowledging factors (legal, ethical, or technical) that may affect the extent to which it can be shared." As such, while the policy does require that all data be managed, it does not dictate that all data must be shared.
The NIH has a history of promoting data management and sharing for reuse of data in future research, as evidenced by various historical policies which are still of referential value: 2003 NIH Data Sharing Policy, NIH's 2014 Genomic Data Sharing Policy, as well as the 2016 NIH Policy on the Dissemination of NIH-Funded Clinical Trial Information (Clinical Trials Policy).
In an effort to raise awareness about the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy and its implications for researchers, a small committee has been assembled, comprised of Penn State staff across the University, including, Dr. Courtney Karmelita, Dr. John Hanold, Dr. Sheila Vrana, Dr. Briana Wham, and Ashley Stauffer.
The committee has been tasked with providing researchers with guidance on key aspects of the policy - by offering meetings and presentations to interested parties. Although the group plans to reach out to various research communities and stakeholders at the University, any group that would like to request a presentation may do so by completing this form. Anyone who would like to provide feedback on institutional support they would like or to raise questions about the policy, can do so here.
