Feds tell researchers to get speedier on data sharing

Medical researchers are going to be on the hook for faster data-sharing after new federal policies were introduced Sept. 16, according to the Washington Post.

The new policies, issued by HHS, will require research organizations to release their findings sooner if they want to maintain NIH funding—money that added up to more than $24 million last year. The policies go into effect Jan. 18, 2017, and organizations have 90 days to get on board.

The policies come after Vice President Joe Biden expressed frustration at the slow pace at which medical study results are shared with funding organizations and with other researchers. He recently said more patients and doctors would be more interested in joining clinical trials if they had more information about what they were getting into. Plus, NIH Director Francis S. Collins noted, information about failed trials can be useful to future researchers too. They want to see more information of any kind distributed to more people who could use it.

Check out the Washington Post for more info about how far behind regulations many research institutions are currently falling when it comes to submitting trial data.