Answer:
The IRB is responsible for evaluating proposed research to ensure adequate provisions to protect the privacy of participants and to maintain the confidentiality of data. Research involving human participants must include adequate provisions to maintain the confidentiality of research data. Maintaining confidentiality requires safeguarding the information that an individual has disclosed in a relationship of trust and with the expectation that it will not be disclosed to others without permission, except in ways that are consistent with the original disclosure. Confidentiality in the context of human research also refers to the investigator’s agreement with participants, when applicable (i.e., through participants’ informed consent), about how their identifiable private information will be handled, managed, and disseminated. Individuals may only be willing to share information for research purposes with an understanding that the information will remain protected from disclosure outside of the research setting or to unauthorized persons.
