Data Sharing Policy Comparison Table
This table shows how the 2023 NIH Data Management Sharing Policies compares with three other policies regarding the effective date, applicability/scope, budget threshold, NIH Expectations of Applicants, and Release/Sharing Timelines.
Overall, all four policies apply to extramural (grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, other transactions) and intramural research projects. They are also applicable to human and non-human data. However, you only need one plan with the NIH GDS, NIH DMS, and PADS for application on or after January 25, 2023.
1. 2003 NIH Data Sharing Policy (DSP)
Effective date: October 1, 2003 – January 25, 2023.
Applicability/Scope: Expires for new applications on or after January 25, 2023. Remains effective for non-competitive renewals for previously funded awards (Type 5) or to-be-awarded applications before the effective date on or after January 25, 2023.
Budget Threshold: NIH funding of >$500k direct cost/ year that generate data.
NIH Expectations: Include a data sharing plan in applications.
Release/Sharing Timelines: Submit and share data no later than the acceptance for publication of the main findings from the final dataset.
2. NIH GDS Policy
Effective date: January 25, 2015
Applicability/Scope: Effective for new applications on or after January 25, 2023, that generate large-scale genomic data & smaller-scale studies (of programmatic priority, or rare diseases). Thresholds & assay types clearly defined for meeting GDS. Timelines for sharing genomic data under GDS remain the same.
Budget Threshold: No minimum budget threshold required
NIH Expectations of Applicants: Include a genomic data sharing plan in application (which will be part of the 2023 DMS Plan).
Release/Sharing Timelines: Submit & release data through NIH-designated data repositories.
Release lower-level primary data (L2/ L3) by 9 months after data generation/ QC. Release summary analyses at publication, with the latest time of data sharing is the end of the project period on or after January 25, 2023.
3. 2023 NIH DMS
Effective date: January 25, 2023
Applicability/Scope: Effective for new applications (Type 1) and competitive renewals (Type 2) on or after January 25, 2023. Competitive revisions (Type 3) and administrative supplements are not subject to the policy. Not applicable for research and other activities that do not generate scientific data (see NIH List of Activity Codes Under DMS Policy).
Budget Threshold: No minimum budget threshold required.
NIH Expectations of Applicants: Prospectively plan how to preserve & share scientific data
Submit DMS Plans with applications (and any DMS relevant budget costs).
Release/Sharing Timelines: Share scientific data as soon as possible, but no later than the time of an associated publication, or the end of performance period (whichever comes first).
4. PADS
Effective date: October 1, 2017 -
Applicability/ Scope: Applicable to competing grant, cooperative agreement and contract applications submitted to NCI in response to a Cancer Moonshot Research Project FOA. Applicable to NCI intramural Cancer Moonshot Research Projects generating Publications and Underlying Primary Data on or after October 1, 2017. Remain as NCI-specific policy to be addressed in a DMS Plan if applicable.
Budget Threshold: No minimum budget threshold required.
NIH Expectations of Applicants: Submit a public access and data sharing Plan in applications. Deposit electronic copies of publications in PubMed Central (tagging of metadata).
Release/Sharing Timelines: Share underlying primary data as soon as possible, but no later than the time of publication. Share data simultaneously with the publication. Make publications immediately accessible through release under the CC BY 4.0 (no embargo).