NIH has issued the Data Management and Sharing (DMS) policy (effective January 25, 2023) to promote the sharing of scientific data.
Under the DMS policy, NIH expects that investigators and institutions:
• Plan and budget for the managing and sharing of data
• Submit a DMS plan for review when applying for funding
• Comply with the approved DMS plan
• Individual NIH Institutes, Centers, or Offices may have additional policies and expectations (see "Which Policies Apply to My Research?" below)
The DMS Policy applies to all NIH research, funded in whole or in part by NIH, that results in the generation of scientific data.
The DMS Policy does not apply to research and other activities that do not generate scientific data, for example: research training, fellowships, infrastructure development, and non-research activities.
Key differences between the 2003 Data Sharing Policy and the NEW Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy, effective for due dates on/after January 25, 2023:
| Policy Provision | 2003 Data Sharing Policy | 2023 Data Management and Sharing Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Awards ≥ $500K a year | All awards generating scientific data |
| Data to share | Final research data | Scientific data regardless of whether data underlie a publication |
| Mode of sharing data | To be described in Plan | Encourages use of established repository named in Plan |
| Plan elements | Flexible level of detail | Plans should address 6 key elements |
| Plan location in application | Resource Sharing section of application |
New section of application called “Other Plans(s)” |
| Budget requests | Combined with other direct costs | Costs requested as separate line item with accompanying justification |