New Open Science Policy to Make Health Research More Accessible
02 Feb 2026
Under this policy, any research funded by the MRFF or NHMRC must:
-
Be freely accessible from the moment it’s published, without any delay.
-
Clearly acknowledge funding sources and include unique identifiers to track the research’s impact.
Researchers can now also post preprint versions online as an alternative way to meet the policy’s open access requirements.
The policy encourages researchers to:
-
Share data and methods openly, following principles that make information easy to find, use, and reuse.
-
Respect Indigenous communities’ rights and interests, with proper governance when research involves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
-
Plan for openness from the start of their projects.
-
Publish negative results, as well as positive findings.
-
Make research software and code available for others to use and build upon.
While intellectual property remains protected, the policy promotes transparency and collaboration in research.
The goals of the Open Science Policy are to:
-
Boost collaboration between researchers.
-
Reduce research waste.
-
Ensure Australia’s health and medical research benefits society as much as possible.
The policy applies to MRFF grant opportunities opening from 1 January 2026, with some grants possibly exempted. NHMRC grant holders must comply from 2 February 2026.
https://www.health.gov.au/
Source: NHMRC / MRFF
