NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – The National Institutes of Health today announced that it is seeking public comment on ways to improve the data submission and access processes for the National Center for Biotechnology Information's database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP).
The dbGaP was launched in late 2006 to house genotypic and phenotypic data from large-scale genome-wide association studies, and has grown to include 4,625 datasets from 786 studies, representing over 1.2 million unique research participants.
Although a number of enhancements have been made to the dbGaP's data submission and access processes over the years, the NIH said that it believes that the processes for requesting and submitting data could be streamlined and improved. As such, it is seeking feedback on these areas, as well as on the dbGaP's data-management practices, with the goal of making the resource more user-friendly and efficient.
The NIH is specifically interested in comments and information on the dbGaP's study registration and data submission processes; its data access request and review procedures; policies regarding the management and use of data; and on the potential risks and benefits of opening up dbGaP resources to the medical genetics community for clinical use.
Additional details about the NIH's request for information can be found here.