Important notes on using GitHub
Caution when using GitHub
This notice was emailed to us from UK Biobank.
Use of 3rd party code-sharing repositories (e.g. GitHub)
It has come to our attention that researchers are increasingly uploading software tools and analysis scripts - which is an acceptable practice and required by some journals - to web-based repositories (such as GitHub). Given that such scripts may have been run on underlying UK Biobank data, please ensure that no UK Biobank data are uploaded to these repositories (either as a result of being incorporated within the analysis code, or otherwise being referenced in a manner that leads to its inclusion).
Making any participant-level UK Biobank data available on a web-based repository is not acceptable. As such, UK Biobank would re-iterate that all researchers exercise appropriate oversight, care and control to ensure that such uploads of data do not occur.
UK Biobank considers that the great majority of researchers are aware of UK Biobank’s requirements with regard to processing and storing of its data, and reminds all researchers that UK Biobank participant data must always be treated in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Access Procedures and the MTA (and the data security provisions of the MTA) and specifically:
- may not be shared (directly or indirectly) with other third parties (outside of an approved application).
- may not be uploaded (directly or indirectly) to web-based or other repositories accessible by third parties.
Aside from any legal consequences, any default in complying with these obligations may lead to applications and registrations being terminated.
A guide to researcher best practice for use of 3rd party code sharing repositories is available on the UK Biobank website here: https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/media/1vhh2vip/github-3rd-party-sharing.pdf
Best wishes,
UK Biobank