AHRQ Data Policies
Below is a summary of some of the notable changes expected to be implemented in October 2015.
- All AHRQ funded research will include a DMP which covers plans for sharing final research data in digital formats, or which states why no sharing is possible.
- AHRQ will promote the deposit of data in publicly accessible databases, where appropriate and available.
- The DMP will include:
- A plan for protecting confidentiality and personal privacy.
- A description of how scientific data in digital format will be shared, including a plan for long-term preservation and access to the data and the associated costs, or explanation of why data sharing is not possible.
- Data (that supports a research paper) should be publicly available no later than at the time of manuscript acceptance of the main findings from the final dataset.
- If the research collects or analyzes data from large or longitudinal studies then it is acceptable to release the data in waves as the main findings are published.
- Published datasets will be accompanied by at least one formal metadata document, and supplemental information provided to assist the data user.
- AHRQ will contract with a commercial repository to accept and manage research data submitted by researchers.
- AHRQ will allow the inclusion of appropriate costs for data management and access in applications and proposals.
