Yale Program’s Agreement With Johnson & Johnson Allows Broad Access To Clinical Trial Data

In a move that promotes open science, the Yale University Open Data Access (YODA) Project has entered an agreement with Johnson & Johnson that will enable scientists around the world to gain access to the company’s clinical trial data assets.

This partnership establishes an independent process that promotes data sharing and leverages prior research investments to produce new knowledge. The program will start with the release of pharmaceutical trial data, followed by subsequent availability of data from clinical trials of medical devices and consumer products.

The Yale University Open Data Access (YODA) Project within the Yale-New Haven Hospital Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) will perform an independent scientific review of investigator requests. Johnson & Johnson will participate in developing the principles of scientific review. The company has ceded to YODA all decision-making authority over the release of the data. This establishes a process in which all requests for clinical data submitted to the company are fairly judged and decided upon by an independent academic partner.