NIH Data Sharing Policy Update

NIH has issued a new Final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing, which will require NIH funded researchers to prospectively submit a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) outlining how scientific data from their research will be managed and shared. On January 25, 2023, the new policy will come into effect and replace the 2003 NIH Data Sharing Policy currently in effect.

If you plan to generate scientific data and apply for an NIH grant, you must submit a DMSP as part of the Budget Justification section of your application for extramural awards.

What do I include in a NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan?

In these max two-page documents, you will describe your:

Data type – an overview of the data you are collecting
Related tools, software, and/or code – what is needed to understand and/or use that data
Standards – if there are any standardized file formats, data dictionaries, etc
Data preservation, access, and associated timelines – when and where you will publicly share your data
Access, distribution, or reuse considerations – any special considerations for securing the data or protecting patient privacy
Oversight of data management and sharing – who will carry out this plan

Where can I find guidance or additional information?

To help the UC San Diego research community prepare for implementation of the new policy, the following resources are available:

Official NIH supplemental documentation for the 2023 DMSP policy:

Visit the page on public access and open science to learn more.

How do I get started writing a DMSP?

The Data Management Plan Tool, or DMPTool, is a free resource for anyone to use that helps researchers create data management sharing plans as they write their funding proposal.

NIH Sample Data Management and Sharing Plans:

Additional DMSP Samples:

Sample Data Management Plans

Planning to use the Library’s Repository?

The following boilerplate text is available to add in your DMSP:

"The UC San Diego Library’s Digital Collections (DC) is a curated repository for sharing and preserving campus research data. Data deposited into the DC is enriched with metadata to enhance discovery and usability, and made publicly accessible through the Library’s website at https://library.ucsd.edu/dc. The repository can ingest very large datasets as well as a wide variety of file formats, including images, spreadsheets, PDFs, video, and various data file types. Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are provided for all items in the DC, so that the data can be cited easily, shared, and accessed persistently. The contents of the DC are replicated quarterly in Chronopolis (https://library.ucsd.edu/chronopolis), a certified, geographically distributed preservation system designed to prevent catastrophic loss of data."

**Before writing NIH’s Data Management and Sharing Plan, a consultation with our curation team (research-data-curation@ucsd.edu) is recommended to make sure the Library repository can meet the specific needs of your forthcoming datasets. The Library is unable, for example, to store and publish material containing PHI/PII and other sensitive data.

Need help?

For more assistance with your grant proposal, please contact the Office of Contract & Grant Administration (OCGA) or directly to Michael Kusiak.

For any questions for NIH Health Sciences applications, contact their HS SPPO Analyst or the program itself.

For IRB questions, send an email or visit their website.

For NIH proposal questions, contact SIO's Elizabeth Meier.

For questions about the policy, including planning for data sharing, or selecting a repository please contact Research-Data-Curation@ucsd.edu.