NIH Issues Draft Statement
on Sharing Mouse Resources
May 30, 2003 - The National Institutes of Health (NIH)
May 28 released for public comment a draft
statement on sharing and distributing genetically modified
mice and other "mouse resources." According to the
draft notice, mouse resources are increasingly expensive and
time-consuming to develop and represent a significant investment
of public funds. The NIH hopes that a policy to disseminate
and share mouse resources among academic investigators will
ultimately help expedite the translation of research using
these resources into benefit for human health.
The NIH considers this draft statement to be an extension
of its current grants policy and policies on sharing research
resources, and demurs from labeling the policy as a requirement
for NIH-funded investigators. However, the draft statement
emphasizes that investigators will be expected to submit a
plan for sharing mouse resources, noting that "(f)ailure
to comply with your sharing plan may be carefully considered
in future funding decisions for you and your institution."
The NIH frankly acknowledges tension between some investigators'
willingness to disseminate resources and their competing interests
in harboring resources for further experimentation. The agency
believes that, "…unnecessary delay of publication
or prolonged exclusive use of the mice are not in the best
interests of the research community or the public health."
The draft statement also outlines options for use of a central
repository for mouse resources, and addresses issues relating
to intellectual property, dissemination to commercial organizations,
and other considerations.
Information:
Stephen Heinig, Senior Research Fellow
AAMC Biomedical Health Sciences Research
sheinig@aamc.org
(202) 828-0488
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