Contributing Data to COMBINE

We want to make data contribution as simple as possible!

To expedite the process, we will provide prospective contributors with a template and instructions for uploading their completed template(s) to the COMBINE REDCap portal. Templates compatible with R, SPSS, and Excel are avaialble.

We can also provide a template for a Data Use Agreement if your site/institution requires it. Information about data security/management can be found in the Privacy Policy on this site.

For a list of required and recommended variables, click the button below:

Great question! Regulations regarding data sharing vary by country, region, and sometimes even institution. They also vary based on the type of data you are sharing. 

A good starting point is to determine whether the original study consents included language about using the data for future research or secondary analyses, sharing the data with other researchers, or contributing the data to a public repository.

If your consents did not have that provision, don’t give up! It may be possible to obtain a waiver of informed consent from the regulatory/ethics board that governs your research (e.g., your Institutional Review Board). The COMBINE dataset specifically does NOT include identifiers so that it is easier to obtain this permission.

If you have questions about the process of data sharing or how to contribute, please contact the COMBINE team, we are happy to help you!

If you are interested in contributing data from “at-risk” or “suspected” participants, please get in touch with the team directly to discuss your specific sample characteristics and whether it is a good fit for COMBINE.

There are three aspects of COMBINE designed to offset this concern:

Data Use Proposals – the COMBINE team reviews all proposed uses of the dataset before approval, to ensure that research questions are not duplicated (with the exception of intentional replication studies) across the consortium. Proposals are approved on a first-come, first-served basis. Consortium Members are encouraged to provide a list of planned primary analyses/research questions with the COMBINE team at the time of data contribution to ensure that these are taken into consideration as others request access.

Reports of Use – Consortium Members can request a list of any Authorized COMBINE Dataset Users who have proposals that include their data. This not only enables researchers to communicate about planned analyses to prevent being “scooped”, but it can also help members identify potential collaborators working on similar questions!

COMBINE Affiliation – all work products resulting from use of the COMBINE dataset must include appropriate attributions. As a Consortium Member, you will be associated with publications and presentations done by other groups using these data. A rising tide lifts all boats!

While we can’t guarantee it won’t happen, we believe that data sharing approaches are critically needed to move the field forward, and that this need outweighs the small potential risk.

Together, we can do more – don’t let a fixed-resource mindset hold you back from team science!