NIH genomic data security rules slow research progress, spark workarounds among scientists
By
Georgia Michelman Author
Summary
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) implemented new security rules (NIST SP 800-171) for genomic data sets in spring 2025, requiring researchers to use secure cloud computing environments rather than downloading data locally. While intended to protect sensitive genomic data, these rules have significantly slowed research progress, created bureaucratic hurdles, and prompted researchers to develop workarounds. The policy requires institutions to maintain FedRAMP-certified environments, which many universities lack, forcing researchers to navigate complex approval processes or find alternative data sources. Data security experts acknowledge the need for oversight but researchers argue the current implementation is overly burdensome and hindering scientific discovery.
Source
bskyNIH genomic data security rules slow research progress, spark workarounds among scientistsscience.orgKey quotes
· 4 pulled'It's a huge barrier,' says Andrew Lynn, a developmental cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Louisville. 'I've had to completely rethink how I approach this project.'
'The intent is good — we absolutely need to protect participants' genomic data,' says one researcher who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'But the implementation has been chaotic and poorly communicated.'
'We're seeing labs find creative workarounds, like using smaller, less comprehensive datasets that don't fall under the same restrictions,' says a data security analyst familiar with the situation. 'That's not ideal for science.'
'Universities weren't built for this level of cybersecurity compliance,' explains a university IT director. 'We're scrambling to build infrastructure that meets FedRAMP requirements.'
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