For the purposes of this policy statement, the term 'bioinformatics resource' is intended to mean a resource comprising databases of biological data and/or analytical tools for the interpretation of such data.
The terms of access to some bioinformatics resources can include restrictions on the use and publication of data and intellectual property that are incompatible with the Wellcome Trust–DBT India Alliance (the ‘Alliance’) Grant Conditions.
Organisations and their Alliance-funded grantholders should therefore ensure that when assessing the scientific need to access a bioinformatic resource:
- they consider whether there are any freely available resources in the public domain which would meet that scientific need
- where access to a bioinformatics resource is necessary, they do not enter into any access agreements that impose restrictions on the use and publication of data and intellectual property that are incompatible with the Alliance Grant Conditions.
Specifically:
1) The Alliance considers that it is the responsibility of organisations to enter into any access agreements to bioinformatics resources on behalf of their Alliance-funded grantholders.
2) Any organisation in receipt of Alliance funding, which enters into an agreement to access a bioinformatics resource, must ensure that the terms of this agreement do not compromise its ability, or the ability of its Alliance-funded grantholders, to satisfy the Alliance Grant Conditions, in particular with respect to the use and/or publication of data and intellectual property.
3) The Alliance will consider requests for funding the costs of subscriptions to bioinformatics resources only where applicants can demonstrate clearly that the scientific case for utilising these offers a clear advantage over any comparable resources in the public domain, and that the terms of their access are compatible with the Alliance Grant Conditions.
4) Where there is any uncertainty, the Alliance should be consulted.
