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GA4GH Data Use Ontology: an operational guide

The GA4GH Data Use Ontology provides standardized terms for describing data-use permissions and research purposes. DUO improves machine-readable matching, but it remains one part of the full agreement, request, committee, and enforcement context.

What the operating record should prove

What DUO is for

Repositories and data stewards can annotate data with use permissions or restrictions. Researchers can describe intended use. Systems can then support consistent discovery and preliminary matching across datasets and requests.

Use codes beside the source authority

A DUO annotation does not replace the DUA, consent framework, repository policy, data access committee decision, or project-specific condition. Preserve the current code, ontology version, source agreement or approval, and reviewer interpretation together.

Evaluate the proposed purpose

Capture the release's proposed DUO codes and compare them with the data-use terms confirmed for the governing agreement. Treat mismatches as explainable findings that identify expected and proposed values. Route the result to the authorized committee or steward.

What DUO is for

Repositories and data stewards can annotate data with use permissions or restrictions. Researchers can describe intended use. Systems can then support consistent discovery and preliminary matching across datasets and requests.

Terms and identifiers should be taken from the current ontology release and repository implementation. Local shorthand should not be allowed to silently change the meaning of a code.

Use codes beside the source authority

A DUO annotation does not replace the DUA, consent framework, repository policy, data access committee decision, or project-specific condition. Preserve the current code, ontology version, source agreement or approval, and reviewer interpretation together.

Evaluate the proposed purpose

Capture the release's proposed DUO codes and compare them with the data-use terms confirmed for the governing agreement. Treat mismatches as explainable findings that identify expected and proposed values. Route the result to the authorized committee or steward.

Combine DUO with Library Cards

GA4GH Library Cards can represent institutional assertions relevant to access. Audarel can require active institutional pre-authorization for named users on the planned release date while separately evaluating DUO purpose terms.

Keep the human decision visible

Ontology matching can reduce administrative work, but context and exceptions still require governance judgment. Record the reviewer or committee, comments, quorum, time, agreement version, proposed codes, and final release decision.

Why this page exists

Keep decisions human and evidence explicit.

Practical guidance that connects policy documents to observable release controls.

Primary references

Confirm requirements against current source material.

Requirements and vendor capabilities change. Confirm the current source and your approved QC plan before changing a production process.

From evidence to conclusion

Put the guidance inside a reproducible release record.

Run five release preflights with the source terms, artifacts, checks, approvals, exceptions, and evidence kept together.

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