As a public sponsor of biomedical research, NIH is committed to supporting national and international efforts that encourage the sharing and dissemination of important research resources. NIH is also cognizant of the need to support reasonable incentive structures that facilitate commercial development or translation of basic research findings. Restricted availability of unique research resources, upon which further studies are dependent, can impede the advancement of research. Conversely, sharing biomaterials, reagents and data in a timely manner has been an essential element in the rapid progress that has been made in research on many model organisms for biomedical research. The NIH is interested in continuing to ensure that the research resources developed with NIH funding are made readily available in a timely fashion to the research community for further research, development, and application, in the expectation that this will further the research enterprise and accelerate the development of products and knowledge of benefit to the public. At the same time, NIH recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to elect and retain title to subject inventions developed with federal funding pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act.

The NIH POLICY ON SHARING OF MODEL ORGANISMS FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH was published in the NIH Guide on May 7, 2004 . This is an extension of NIH policy on sharing research resources, and reaffirms NIH support for the concept of sharing. The new policy becomes effective with the October 1, 2004 receipt date for applications or proposals to NIH. For additional information about the NIH Policy on sharing model organisms for biomedical research, please visit this URL: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm