Can we delay sharing until publication so other experiments can be performed and manuscripts prepared?
A5: NIH recognizes that the investigators who generated the mouse resources have a legitimate interest in benefiting from their investment of time and effort. However, unnecessary delay of publication and prolonged exclusive use of the mice are not in the best interests of the research community or the public health. Therefore, not sharing mice for a prolonged period will generally not be considered an acceptable plan. Furthermore, it may not be in your best interest as an investigator. If your publication is delayed, other investigators may publish papers first and receive credit for the same mutant mouse that you and your colleague have generated and have been characterizing. You may wish to maximize your productivity and the impact of your work by engaging in collaborations before and after publication describing the mutant mouse. By publishing in a timely manner, you and your colleagues will likely be able to publish your work in a high-impact journal, which will benefit the resear
