National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Implementation of NIH Policy on Sharing of Data obtained in
NIH-Supported or -Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS)

A new NIH policy on sharing data obtained through NIH-supported or -conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has been announced in notices posted on August 15, 2007 in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-088.html) and the Federal Register (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-17030.pdf). The new NIH policy applies to all grant applications that include GWAS and are submitted to the NIH for the January 25, 2008 standing receipt date and to all research supported or conducted by the NIH that is initiated or approved subsequent to that date. Detailed information on the NIH Policy may be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/index.htm.

The NHLBI intends to implement the new NIH GWAS policy when it becomes effective for the NIH as a whole. In addition, coincident with the beginning of Fiscal Year 2008 on October 1, 2007, the NHLBI requests that data sharing plans accompany ALL grant applications submitted to the NHLBI that include GWAS. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council expressed its support for the draft NIH policy at its June 2007 meeting and for seeking data sharing plans for all grant applications to be funded in Fiscal Year 2008 and thereafter. It also urged specifically for all foreign grant applications for GWAS considered for funding by the NHLBI that agreement be sought from the applicant institution(s) and principal investigator(s) to share data in a manner consistent with the then draft NIH policy on data sharing for GWAS.

Background

The NIH first announced its interest in extending the existing NIH policy on data sharing to address GWAS in a notice in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on May 15, 2006 (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-06-071.html) and discussed the issue further in an article appearing in the May 2006 edition of the NIH Extramural Nexus (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/partners/0506Nexus.htm - GWAS). Comments regarding the proposed policy were solicited from all interested parties through a Request for Information that appeared in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on Aug 30, 2006 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-06-094.html) and a notice in the Federal Register that appeared on the same day (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/E6-14416.htm).

Last updated: August 28, 2007