You can request NCATS records that are not in the public domain by using the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Service Center.
FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552) provides individuals with a right to access to records in the possession of the federal government. The government may withhold information pursuant to nine exemptions and three exclusions contained in the Act.
How to Submit a FOIA Request
Before submitting a request under the FOIA, please check the TAGGS (Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System) database — maintained by the DHHS Office of Grants — to determine if the information you are seeking is publicly available. TAGGS is a central repository for grants awarded by DHHS, including NIH.
If the information you are interested in is not in the public domain, please follow the suggestions listed below when preparing your FOIA request:
- Identify the records you are requesting. (Include, as applicable, specific information such as grant number and principal investigator's name, subject matter of the records, dates, originating office, etc.)
- State that you are requesting the records under the Freedom of Information Act.
- Include your contact information (address, telephone number, email address) in case our office needs additional information to process your request.
- FOIA requests should be submitted in writing to the NHLBI FOIA Coordinator either by postal mail, fax or email using the contact information listed on the right.