Author: Kherlen Martin

NIH has long championed principles of transparency and accessibility in NIH-funded research. As such, NIH supports the August 2022 OSTP Memorandum directing federal agencies to expedite access to results of federally funded research. The NIH Plan to Enhance Public Access to the Results of NIH-Supported Research (NIH’s Public Access Plan) provides a roadmap for how NIH will enhance access to research products, namely scholarly publications and scientific data, and will ensure these research products are useful and accessible to the public. 

NIH’s Public Access Plan is now available for public comment. Comments will be accepted until April 24, 2023 and can be submitted through the comment portal found here. 

For a perspective on how NIH is approaching public access, please see a blog from the leadership of OSP, NLM, OER, OIR, and ODSS on the steps NIH is taking to ensure we maximize access to taxpayer-funded researcher.   Questions may be sent to [email protected].  Also, please consider following us on Twitter @NIH_OSP

NIH will be hosting a workshop on February 27, 2023, to discuss how public feedback can help inform the use of new types of data (e.g., wearable devices, smart sensors, social media), new types of analysis (e.g., Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning), and data linkage and aggregation in research.  The meeting will feature discussion panels to share key points and themes from community conversations NIH has held across the country on the uses of personal health data in research.  The panels will also feature discussion from ethicists, biomedical researchers, technology engineers and developers, public health experts, and clinician researchers who might utilize novel technologies to generate data.  

The discussions will be used to help inform deliberations related to the latest charge to the Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee. It will also help inform OSP’s ongoing efforts to ensure public engagement is at the foundation of policy development. 

The workshop will begin at 12:00 pm ET and end at 8:00 pm ET and be webcast to the public. Additionally, opportunities to raise questions for discussion during the meeting will be provided for members of the public. Full information, including agenda and webcast information, will be posted at: https://osp.od.nih.gov/events/nih-workshop-using-public-engagement-to-inform-the-use-of-data-in-biomedical-research/ If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. You can also follow us on Twitter: @NIH_OSP

Today, January 25, 2023, marks the implementation date for the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (DMS Policy).  As such, for all applicable research, researchers will be required to submit a plan for outlining how scientific data and accompanying metadata will be managed and shared.

NIH will continue to work with the community to ensure the policy achieves our shared goal of accelerating biomedical research discovery. Please check out our resources, such as archived webinars and sample Data Management and Sharing Plans, available at https://sharing.nih.gov

Dr. Lawrence Tabak has issued an NIH Director’s Statement to mark this day.  Dr. Tabak’s statement can be found here.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also follow us on Twitter: @NIH_OSP 

What are your plans for the summer? What about spending the summer at OSP building your science policy skills? If this sounds interesting, the OSP Summer Internship Program might be right for you. 

This virtual internship program will take place over the course of 8-12 weeks beginning in late May/early June 2023 and ending in August 2023.  Applications must be received no later than January 31, 2023, by 11:59 PM ET.   

To learn more about the available internship positions, eligibility criteria, and how to apply, please visit: https://osp.od.nih.gov/get-involved/osp-summer-internship-program/

Questions may be sent to [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @NIH_OSP