New data-sharing requirements from the National Institutes of Health are a big step toward more open science – and potentially higher-quality research

In order to get funding from the National Institutes of Health, researchers now need a plan for sharing and managing their data. Exdez/Digital Vision Vectors via Getty Images

Starting on Jan. 25, 2023, many of the 2,500 institutions and 300,000 researchers that the U.S. National Institutes of Health supports will need to provide a formal, detailed plan for publicly sharing the data generated by their research. For many in the scientific community, this new NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy sounds like a no-brainer.

The incredibly quick development of rapid tests and vaccines for COVID-19 demonstrate the success that can follow the open sharing of data within the research community. The importance and impact of that data even drove a White House Executive Order mandating that “the heads of all executive departments and agencies” share “COVID-19-related data” publicly last year.