The NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy Readiness Webinar, held on January 17, 2023, served as a preparatory session for the new NIH DMS policy effective January 25, 2023. The webinar featured presentations by leaders from the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) and NIH, focusing on institutional readiness, budgeting and costing implications, and policy implementation. According to surveys shared during the session, most institutions were actively preparing for compliance, though concerns remained about administrative and cost burdens—particularly for smaller and emerging research institutions. The COGR emphasized the significant financial and operational impact expected at both central administrative and academic levels, highlighting risks such as increased administrative workload for principal investigators at the expense of scientific activity.
The NIH’s implementation update clarified new requirements: all NIH-funded research generating scientific data must submit a Data Management and Sharing Plan with their application, addressing specified elements such as data types, standards, preservation, access, and oversight. Compliance with these plans becomes a condition of award and is subject to annual review. Collaboration efforts, including a partnership with the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP), aim to standardize DMS plan requirements and mitigate administrative burden through tools, structured templates, and pilot projects exploring costing policies. The session underscored ongoing efforts to refine guidance and resources, ensuring both robust data sharing and manageable compliance obligations for affected institutions. Further information and support resources were made available via NIH and COGR web portals.
