Data, software and materials management and sharing policy

Making data available in a timely and responsible way makes sure other researchers can verify it, build on it and use it to advance knowledge and make health improvements. Similarly, making software or materials – such as antibodies or cell lines – available to the research community supports reproducibility and can underpin further research. 

We recognise that in some circumstances, controls and limits on sharing are necessary – for example, to protect the confidentiality and privacy of research participants, or to enable intellectual property to be developed, protected and used in line with our policy on intellectual property.

1. We expect researchers to maximise the availability of research data, software and materials with as few restrictions as possible. The data underpinning original research publications must be made available to other researchers at the time of publication, as well as any original software that is required to view datasets or to replicate analyses.
2. Where research data relates to public health emergencies, researchers must share quality-assured interim and final data as rapidly and widely as possible, and in advance of publication.
3. Applicants must consider their approach to managing and sharing anticipated outputs at the application stage. In cases where data, software or materials will be generated that have value as a resource for others in academia or industry, applicants must include an outputs management plan explaining their planned approach. See our guidance on how to complete an outputs management plan for what applicants must consider for different types of outputs. Plans must reflect established best practice in the respective research field.
4. We will fund any justified costs associated with the management and sharing of research outputs as part of funding the research. These costs must be requested at the application stage.
5. Grantholders must make sure their shared outputs:
   • are discoverable
   • are deposited in community repositories for data and other outputs where these exist
   • are shared under a managed access procedure when required – for example, where a study involves identifiable data about research participants
   • are assigned persistent identifiers or accession numbers for these outputs.
6. Grantholders are expected to review their outputs management plan throughout the research lifecycle.
7. We expect all users of research data, software and materials to cite the source and to abide by the terms and conditions under which they were accessed.

We will review outputs management plans when making our funding decision. We will consider whether researchers have managed and shared their research outputs in line with our requirements, as part of the end-of-grant reporting process.

See also our:

• guidance on completing an outputs management plan
• open access policy
• guidance on the responsible conduct of research
• policy on intellectual property
• policy on clinical trials