Timing of data release for large-scale genetics and genomics projects

For large-scale genetic and genomics studies, that have the scope for wider research use and hold significant long-term value, the following examples of data sharing practices may be a helpful guide:

Reasonable period of exclusive use of data

Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium - data are released six months after data generation and quality control is complete, or upon publication, whichever is sooner.

Publication moratoria

GAIN (Genetic Association Information Network): immediate release of data generated in the project to the wider community. The project asks data users to observe a nine month moratorium on publications using the data to enable the data generators to publish their findings.

1000 Genomes Project: Raw sequence reads and SNP calls are released as soon as possible, as part of regular data releases. In keeping with the Fort Lauderdale principles, the project plans to publish papers first on the global analyses of the sequence data and quality, SNPs and structural variants, haplotypes and LD patterns, population genetic phenomena such as population comparisons, mutation rates, and signals of selection, and functional annotations, as well as analyses of regions of general interest such as HLA.

The Trust considers that these projects are within the acceptable parameters of data release timescales.