LibGuides: Open Access and Data Sharing Mandates: NIH Public Access Plan & Data Management and Sharing Policy updates

NIH Sharing Policies

Data Management and Sharing

A new NIH policy regarding data management and sharing went into effect for applications received on or after January 25, 2023. This new policy requires all applicants whose activities will generate scientific data (see "Research Covered" in links for specific grant types), regardless of the level of funding sought, to include a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) in their application that "addresses how scientific data and accompanying metadata will be managed and shared, taking into account any potential limitations or restrictions".* It also expects that "researchers will maximize the appropriate sharing of scientific data"* and encourages the use of established repositories for preserving and sharing scientific data. Shared scientific data should be made available no later than the time of an associated publication or the end of the performance period, whichever comes first. Specific NIH centers and institutes may have additional requirements for data management and sharing on top of the universal DMSP - it does not replace all existing data sharing policies.

*All quotes taken from the Final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing.

The new DMS policy does:

Include data generated during the award period whether it is related to a publication or not (e.g. null results)

The new DMS policy does not:

Instruct researchers to deposit data in a specific repository, although ICO-specific policies may
Dictate a minimum data retention period
Mandate sharing of code or tools, nor does it apply to physical objects like reagents
Allow for recurring costs induced by data sharing to be incorporated in the grant budget, although the budget should include DMS costs

NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy webpage Includes information about budgeting for data management and sharing, data management, and sharing scientific data. Covers topics such as writing a data management and sharing plan (DMSP), budgeting, best practices for data management and sharing, and picking a suitable data repository in which to share data.
NIH-provided sample DMS plans NIH has provided sample DMS Plans as examples of how a DMS Plan could be completed in different contexts, conforming to the elements described above. These sample DMS Plans are provided for educational purposes to assist applicants with developing Plans but are not intended to be used as templates and their use does not guarantee approval by NIH.
Data Management & Sharing Policy Overview
Research Covered Under the Data Management & Sharing Policy Learn what types of research projects and grant classifications fall under NIH’s Data Management and Sharing Policy, and how NIH handles sharing of proprietary data.
Which Policies Apply to My Research? (decision tool) NIH has a variety of sharing policies in place for research that it funds. This tool will assist in helping you determine which NIH policies apply to a particular project.
NIH 2023 Data Management and Sharing Policy FAQ
Genomic Data Sharing Policy Specific requirements for the sharing of genomic data.
Other NIH Sharing Policies Policies for research pertaining to model organisms, research tools, the NIH Institute and Center, and clinical trials.
Accessing Data Browse the many NIH-affiliated repositories and learn how to access datasets.
NIH DMSP webinar recordings from Fall 2022 These webinars introduce aspects of the DMS policy and provided a space for researchers to ask questions. At the time of these webinars, not every detail had been finalized, so some questions were not answerable.
12 Tips and Resources for Data Management and Sharing
GREI - Guide for Including a Generalist Repository in an NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan This resource has been prepared by the seven generalist repositories (Dataverse, Dryad, Figshare, OSF, Mendeley Data, Vivli, and Zenodo) participating in the NIH Generalist Repository Ecosystem Initiative (GREI) to address components of NIH Data Management and Sharing Plans (DMS Plans) that may include sharing data and other materials in generalist repositories. This guide should be used in combination with other resources on data management and sharing best practices more broadly, and the guidance here may also be generally applicable to data sharing in other non-GREI repositories.

Open Access Manuscripts

The 2024 NIH Public Access Policy is in effect for all manuscripts accepted for publication on or after July 1, 2025. Under this policy, all researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) must submit a final, peer-reviewed copy of their research papers to PubMed Central upon the date of official publication. This updated policy eliminates the 12-month embargo that was allowable under the previous 2008 NIH Public Access Plan. Authors will also be required to include an acknowledgment in the Author Accepted Manuscript and Final Published Article that satisfies the requirements in the NIH Grants Policy Statement (GPS) regarding communicating and acknowledging federal funding (GPS 4.2.1 and GPS 8.2.1)

Until July 1, 2025, the previous 2008 NIH Public Access Policy remains in effect.

Researchers can either submit directly through the NIH Manuscript Submission System or arrange for their publisher to submit on their behalf.

NIH Public Access Policy
NIH Public Access Policy FAQ
PubMed Central Submission Methods There are several methods by which funded research can be submitted to PubMed Central. Click this link for more information on each of them.
NIH Manuscript Submission System (NIHMS)
NIHMS FAQ A list of frequently asked questions about the NIH Manuscript Submission system.
NIHMS Submission Help for Authors Step-by-step tutorials detailing how to submit a manuscript, log into the eRA Commons, and more.
Including PMCID in Citations Information on how to include the PubMed Central ID (PMCID) in citations, which is required when applying for funding and referencing past funded research. Also includes information on how to find the PMCID for a specific paper.
eRA Commons (Electronic Research Administration) Electronic research administration system for the NIH.
My NCBI My NCBI retains user information and database preferences to provide customized services for many NCBI databases and can be useful for authors trying to remain compliant with the NIH policy.

Journal Data Policy Finder

This tool was created by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) Library and contains links to data management, sharing, and availability policies of publishers and publications in biomedical sciences and adjacent fields. These policies are not related to the NIH DMS Policy, but the scope of the journals is closely related to that of the NIH. As the guide to repository selection above indicates, you may want to take the policies of your intended journal into account when choosing a data repository.