To help us protect your privacy, we will be applying for a Certificate of Confidentiality from the National Institute of Health. With this Certificate, the researchers cannot be forced to disclose information that may identify you, even by a court subpoena, in any federal, state, or local civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, or other proceedings. The researchers will use the Certificate to resist any demands for information that would identify you, except as explained below.
The Certificate cannot be used to resist a demand for information from personnel of the United States Government that is used for auditing or evaluation of Federally-funded projects or for information that must be disclosed in order to meet the requirements of the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
You should understand that a Certificate of Confidentiality does not prevent you or a member of your family from voluntarily releasing information about yourself or your involvement in this research. If an insurer, employer, or other person obtains your written consent to receive research information, then the researchers may not use the Certificate to withhold that information.