Accessing ECHO Data to Address Innovative Hypotheses

Abstract

Background: The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program will establish a national data resource platform with which scientists can address a wide variety of research questions about the etiology or prediction of child health outcomes.Objective: To discuss ECHO’s publications policies and future opportunities for the general environmental health sciences community to access ECHO data.Discussion: ECHO’s Publications Committee has established policies regarding the development and review of research products that include data or investigators from more than one ECHO awardee. The first step for investigators wishing to initiate a research product is to submit an Analysis Concept proposal. These proposals are initiated by writing teams, which can include researchers within or outside the ECHO program. Analysis concept proposals related to chemical exposures may utilize extant data or propose new biomonitoring utilizing stored biospecimens. Analysis Concepts are circulated to the ECHO scientific community with the goal of soliciting input on the scientific aims and additional writing team members. Next, the writing team develops and submits an Analysis Proposal with input from ECHO’s Data Analysis Center. The Analysis Proposal is submitted to the Publications Committee for review and then evaluated by the ECHO Steering Committee for final approval. Additional information on current procedures and timelines for data access by non-ECHO investigators will be described, followed by a question and answer session.