What is the primary purpose of a Certificate of Confidentiality for researchers?

The primary purpose of a Certificate of Confidentiality is to protect identifiable research information from being disclosed. This legal mechanism helps researchers safeguard sensitive information collected during their studies, ensuring that the identities of participants cannot be revealed without their consent. This protection encourages participation in research by providing assurance to participants that their private information will be kept confidential, even if subpoenas or other legal requests are made for the data.

The Certificate does not grant researchers the ability to publish findings without consent; rather, it focuses on confidentiality. Additionally, while participant recruitment and data archiving are important aspects of research, they are not the central aim of the Certificate itself. The primary intention is to enhance participant privacy and protect the integrity of the research process by restricting access to identifiable data.