What is the primary purpose of a Certificate of Confidentiality?

The primary purpose of a Certificate of Confidentiality is to protect identifiable research information from compelled disclosure. This means that researchers can safeguard sensitive data about their participants, ensuring that it cannot be obtained through legal means, such as subpoenas or court orders. By maintaining confidentiality, researchers encourage participants to provide honest and complete information, which is crucial for the integrity of the research. This protection fosters trust between researchers and participants, ultimately enhancing the quality and validity of the research findings.

In contrast, while promoting participant recruitment is important for studies, it is not the main function of a Certificate of Confidentiality. Adequate compensation for participants serves to incentivize involvement but does not relate to the certificate's purpose. Finally, ethical scrutiny is an essential aspect of research that upholds integrity and accountability; a Certificate of Confidentiality does not exempt researchers from these ethical obligations.