Data Availability Statement
Last Updated: October 2026
ETFLIN requires a Data Availability Statement (DAS) to accompany every published article. The statement must accurately describe the availability of the research data underlying the article, identify where the data can be accessed when applicable, and explain any restrictions that prevent public access.
The purpose of a Data Availability Statement is to help readers determine whether relevant research data exist, locate the appropriate datasets, understand the applicable access conditions, and identify the procedure for obtaining data that are not publicly accessible.
A Data Availability Statement must reflect the actual circumstances of the research. Authors must not claim that data are publicly available when access is restricted, state that data can be obtained upon request when no viable access procedure exists, or describe data as unavailable when the underlying materials can reasonably be identified and accessed.
Mandatory Inclusion
A Data Availability Statement must be provided for every manuscript accepted for publication, including articles for which no new research data were generated or analyzed.
The statement must correspond to the nature of the article and the data supporting its content. Research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and other data-based studies may require different statements according to the data used and the analyses performed. Editorials, commentaries, and other article types that do not generate or analyze research data may use an appropriate statement confirming that no new data were generated or analyzed.
The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the statement is complete, accurate, and consistent with the manuscript, supplementary materials, and referenced datasets. All authors should confirm that the statement reflects the actual availability of the data relevant to their contributions.
Where more than one dataset is involved, the statement must distinguish the datasets and indicate the availability of each when their access conditions differ materially.
Required Information
The content of the statement depends on the circumstances of the research. Where applicable, it must identify:
The data concerned: The datasets or types of data supporting the main findings, including relevant raw data, processed data, analytical outputs, or other supporting materials.
The location of the data: The repository, database, supplementary file, or other source through which the data can be accessed.
Persistent identifiers or access details: A DOI, accession number, stable URL, or other information sufficient to identify and locate the relevant data.
Access conditions: Whether access is unrestricted, controlled, available upon reasonable request, subject to an embargo, or restricted for a stated reason.
The access procedure: Where data are not directly accessible, the person, institution, repository, committee, or other authorized entity to which a request should be directed, together with applicable eligibility criteria or conditions where relevant.
Not every statement requires every element. Authors must provide the information necessary for readers to understand the actual availability of the data in their particular case.
The statement should be concise and specific. General wording that does not identify the data or explain how access can be obtained is insufficient where more precise information is available.
Publicly Available Data
When data supporting the article are openly available through a public repository or database, the statement must identify the relevant source and provide a persistent identifier or stable access link whenever available.
The statement should identify the dataset associated with the findings rather than merely naming a repository without directing readers to the relevant record.
Recommended wording:
"The data supporting the findings of this study are openly available in [repository name] at [DOI or stable URL]."
Where several datasets are used, authors should identify each relevant dataset and its corresponding repository record.
If the data are available through a specialized database using an accession number rather than a DOI, authors should provide that accession number and the applicable database link.
A link to a general repository homepage is not sufficient when the specific dataset can be identified directly. Authors must verify that the cited record corresponds to the data used in the study and that the stated access conditions are accurate at the time of publication.
Data Included in the Article or Supplementary Materials
If all data necessary to support the reported findings are contained within the article or its supplementary materials, the statement must identify where those data can be found.
Recommended wording:
"All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the published article and its supplementary materials."
Where only a portion of the supporting data is included in the article, the statement must not imply that all relevant data are available there. It should identify any additional dataset or source that contains the remaining materials.
If the supplementary files contain several distinct datasets, authors should identify the relevant file names or descriptions where necessary to help readers locate the information.
Data Obtained from Public Sources or Existing Repositories
When a study uses previously published data, public databases, or external repositories, the statement must identify the sources used and provide appropriate access information.
Recommended wording:
"The data analyzed in this study were obtained from [source or repository] at [DOI, accession number, or stable URL]."
If the analysis combines datasets from multiple sources, the statement should identify each source or direct readers to an accessible record that lists the relevant datasets.
Authors must distinguish newly generated data from previously available data where the distinction is relevant to understanding the study.
Where data were obtained under a license, data-use agreement, or other restriction that prevents unrestricted redistribution, the statement must accurately describe the access conditions. Authors must not imply that they can redistribute data belonging to a third party when they lack the necessary rights.
Data Available Upon Reasonable Request
A statement indicating that data are available upon reasonable request may be used only when the authors or an identified data custodian have a genuine procedure for considering and responding to requests.
The statement should identify the responsible contact or institution and, where relevant, the conditions governing access. Authors should explain material restrictions that may affect whether requests can be fulfilled.
Recommended wording:
"The data supporting the findings of this study are available from [responsible author or data custodian] upon reasonable request. Requests should be directed to [contact details] and will be considered subject to applicable access requirements."
Authors must not use this wording if they do not possess the data, lack authority to provide them, or cannot identify a viable procedure for obtaining access.
Where access depends on institutional approval, a data-use agreement, or an independent access committee, these conditions should be stated. A generic promise of availability upon request is insufficient if the actual process is materially restricted or the data cannot be provided.
Authors should respond to legitimate requests consistently with their stated access conditions and applicable legal, ethical, contractual, and institutional obligations.
Restricted or Confidential Data
When data cannot be made publicly accessible because of legitimate restrictions, the statement must explain the nature of the restriction at a level sufficient for readers to understand why unrestricted access is unavailable.
Relevant circumstances may include participant privacy, confidentiality obligations, legal restrictions, contractual limitations, third-party data rights, or controlled-access arrangements.
Recommended wording:
"The data supporting the findings of this study are not publicly available because of [specific reason]. Access may be requested from [responsible institution, data custodian, or access committee], subject to [applicable eligibility criteria or approval requirements]."
Where only some data are restricted, authors should distinguish the restricted material from data that can be shared. The statement should not imply that the entire dataset is unavailable when a non-sensitive portion can be accessed separately.
Authors must not claim that data are confidential without a reasonable basis for the restriction. Where the restriction arises from participant consent, ethical approval, law, or a data-use agreement, the statement should describe the relevant limitation without disclosing sensitive information.
A statement describing restricted access does not itself authorize disclosure. The actual sharing and handling of such data must comply with ETFLIN's Data Sharing and Deposition Policy and the applicable ethical and legal requirements.
Data Subject to an Embargo
When a dataset is subject to an embargo, the statement must identify the expected date or period when access will begin, the location of the dataset where available, and any material conditions governing access.
Recommended wording:
"The data supporting the findings of this study are deposited in [repository name] under an embargo until [date]. The dataset will be accessible at [DOI or stable URL] when the embargo expires, subject to the stated access conditions."
The statement must accurately reflect the actual embargo arrangement. An embargo should not be described as temporary if no release date or viable access procedure has been established.
Where a dataset is already accessible to designated reviewers but not to the public, authors should distinguish confidential review access from public availability.
The existence of an embargo does not automatically justify delayed access under ETFLIN's publication requirements. Any restriction that affects a required publication-stage data-sharing obligation remains subject to the applicable editorial assessment.
Data Provided by Third Parties
When the research relies on data that belong to another institution, organization, repository, or research group, the statement must identify the original source and explain how the data can be obtained, where this information is available.
Recommended wording:
"The data analyzed in this study were obtained from [source or data custodian] at [DOI, accession number, or stable URL]. Access and reuse are subject to the applicable terms of the original source."
If the authors do not have permission to redistribute the data, they must not claim that the dataset can be provided directly by the authors. The statement should instead direct readers to the original source or identify the appropriate data custodian.
Where the data are available only to authorized users, the statement should describe the relevant access conditions or direct readers to the responsible source for further information.
No New Data Generated or Analyzed
When a manuscript does not generate, collect, or analyze new research data, the statement must say so explicitly.
Recommended wording:
"No new data were generated or analyzed in this study."
This wording may be appropriate for certain editorials, commentaries, conceptual articles, and other contributions that do not involve new data generation or analysis.
For literature-based articles, authors should use wording that accurately reflects the work performed. A review that systematically collects, extracts, or statistically analyzes data from published studies should not automatically state that no data were analyzed simply because the data originated in existing publications.
Where an article relies entirely on publicly available literature or previously published sources without generating a separate dataset, authors may clarify that the evidence discussed is available in the cited publications.
The statement must not be used to conceal the existence of analytical datasets, extracted data, or computational outputs that were generated and used to support the article's conclusions.
Clinical Trials and Individual Participant Data
For clinical trial reports subject to the data-sharing requirements of the relevant journal or applicable publication standards, the Data Availability Statement must provide the information necessary to understand whether and how individual participant data can be accessed.
In accordance with the ICMJE Recommendations on Clinical Trials and Data Sharing, an applicable clinical trial data-sharing statement must address whether individual participant data, including relevant data dictionaries, will be shared; which data and related documents will be available; when access will begin and for how long; who may access the data; which uses are permitted; and how access may be requested.
Recommended structure:
"De-identified participant data supporting the results reported in this article will be available at [repository or access mechanism] beginning [date or period] for [duration]. The available materials will include [specific data and related documents]. Access will be available to [eligible users] for [permitted purposes], subject to [applicable review, approval, or agreement requirements]. Requests should be directed to [contact or access committee]."
Authors must complete this statement with information that accurately reflects the study's data-sharing arrangements. If the data will not be shared, the statement should explain the applicable reason rather than leave the intended sharing status uncertain.
Where a registered clinical trial has an established data-sharing plan, the statement must be consistent with the applicable plan and any relevant updates required by the trial registry or journal.
Code and Other Supporting Research Materials
Where code, scripts, models, or other research materials are necessary to understand the data supporting a manuscript, the Data Availability Statement should identify their availability when relevant.
Recommended wording:
"The data and analytical code supporting the findings of this study are available at [repository, DOI, or stable URL]."
If the data and code are hosted separately, the statement should identify both sources. If the code is not available, authors should avoid implying that it can be obtained merely because the underlying data are accessible.
The statement should accurately describe access to the supporting materials and must not substitute for the underlying data-sharing obligations. Detailed requirements for depositing data and associated materials are governed by the Data Sharing and Deposition Policy.
Multiple Datasets and Mixed Access Conditions
Some studies use multiple datasets with different origins, access conditions, or restrictions. In such cases, the statement must distinguish the relevant datasets rather than provide a single description that obscures their availability.
For example, a study may combine a publicly available dataset with newly generated experimental data and a restricted clinical dataset. The statement should identify the public source, the availability of the newly generated data, and the conditions that prevent unrestricted access to the clinical component.
Recommended wording:
"The publicly available data analyzed in this study can be accessed at [repository and identifier]. The newly generated data supporting the findings are available at [repository and identifier]. The clinical dataset is not publicly available because of [reason] but may be requested from [data custodian], subject to [access conditions]."
Where there are several datasets, authors may use concise sub-statements or a clearly structured paragraph to ensure that each source and access condition can be understood independently.
Accuracy and Consistency
The Data Availability Statement must be consistent with the actual data access arrangements and with the information provided elsewhere in the manuscript.
Authors must verify that the cited links, repository records, accession numbers, and contact details are accurate when the manuscript is submitted and again during the final publication process where necessary.
The statement must not claim unrestricted access when a dataset requires registration, approval, payment, or another material condition. Similarly, it must not claim that data will become available at a future date unless the arrangement is sufficiently established to support that commitment.
Where the data are hosted externally, the statement should identify the source accurately and should not imply that ETFLIN controls or guarantees the availability of a third-party repository.
A Data Availability Statement is intended to report the status and access route of research data. It does not constitute an independent certification by ETFLIN that the data are correct, complete, or sufficient to reproduce all findings.
Editorial Assessment and Corrections
The editorial team will assess the Data Availability Statement during manuscript evaluation. Authors may be asked to clarify the statement, provide a missing identifier or access link, distinguish between public and restricted data, or correct a description that does not reflect the actual availability of the data.
Where the applicable data-sharing requirements have not been met, the editorial office may request the necessary information before proceeding with final publication.
If an error is identified after publication, the authors should notify the editorial office promptly when the error materially affects the statement or the means by which readers can access the relevant data. ETFLIN will determine whether an update, correction, or other action is appropriate according to the circumstances.
An incorrect link or incomplete statement does not automatically establish research misconduct. More serious concerns, such as a deliberate misrepresentation of data availability or an inability to substantiate material findings, may require further assessment under the applicable editorial procedures.
Responsibilities of Authors
Authors are responsible for ensuring that the Data Availability Statement:
Accurately identifies the data supporting the article and their availability.
Provides valid and sufficiently specific access information where applicable.
Describes material restrictions or eligibility conditions honestly.
Remains consistent with the data-sharing arrangements and relevant manuscript declarations.
Is updated when a material change affects the stated availability of the data.
The corresponding author coordinates the preparation and submission of the statement. All authors should confirm that the description is accurate for the research and data associated with their contributions.
Policy Review
ETFLIN will periodically review this policy to maintain consistency with evolving scholarly publishing practices and applicable data-sharing standards.
This policy governs the content and accuracy of Data Availability Statements. The procedures for research data preparation, deposition, repository selection, documentation, and access management are governed separately by ETFLIN's Data Sharing and Deposition Policy.
Questions concerning the interpretation or implementation of this policy may be directed to halo@etflin.com.