For each manuscript, the working-group investigators establish pre-specified plans for analysis and timelines for participation. Before results are shared, each cohort must formally opt-in or opt-out of participation. For any phenotype, each cohort may work with other studies or consortia rather than CHARGE, and individual cohorts remain free to publish cohort-specific findings for any phenotype. The decision to opt-in represents a commitment to collaborate only with the CHARGE working group for that particular analysis until the manuscript is accepted for publication. Only investigators from cohorts that have opted-in have access to shared results. After the results have been shared, investigators cannot opt out to publish their findings on their own. Working group members agree not to share the GWAS findings with outside groups without the permission of the members who generated the data. Transparency, disclosure, and communications about all collaborations, additional follow-up experiments, or efforts to obtain additional funding have been essential to developing, ensuring, and maintaining trust within the consortium.
