Sharing health data: good intentions are not enough

Effects of Early-Onset Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure (GSM 900 MHz) on Behavior and Memory in Rats

“…Accessibility of data -There is an increasing demand for more accountability and transparency in the reporting of research findings and the sharing of research data through publicly accessible databases (Pisani & AbouZahr, 2010); and for the use of evidence in the development of policy. It is expected that the outcomes of research highlighted in this document will be publicly available and will facilitate the development of consolidated evidence, ultimately providing authoritative health information to support the decisions of policy-makers.…”

Public availability of published research data in substance abuse journals

“…It has been said that data sharing increases visibility and relevance of the work and the number of citations received in later papers [11]. Data sharing is particularly important in substance abuse research because underutilising or not utilising all of the available data can lead to the unnecessary exposure of individuals participating in clinical trials for which data already exist [12,13]. Although most of the published studies on this topic speak in favour of the benefits of sharing, some disagree with this direction, arguing the fear of misuse of data, loss of intellectual property and confidentiality issues [14].…”

Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forward

“…10,43 In addition, data archiving and sharing may also be constrained by the lack of accepted protocols for data formats, security and transfer. 19 The introduction of modest minimum standards and the preparation of supporting materials for research databases, which may use different formats, would make data reformatting and interpretation easier for secondary users.…”