The importance of sharing research data on public health topics concerning drug dependence

Research data support the results and conclusions of research projects, making them available
in open access allows them to be searched and potentially reused, always for responsible
purposes. In the case of public health, making them available, always under the motto “as
open as possible and as closed as necessary” is of relevant importance for the applications
they may have in treatments and monitoring of diseases, as has already been demonstrated
during the pandemic of COVID-19. There are guidelines, policies and legislation requiring
open research data, but there is still some reluctance to make it a reality. This article describes
some of those policies that affect Spain and the European Union, and also outlines some
portals that index data related to drug addiction and drug dependence issues.