Certificate of Confidentiality
A certificate of confidentiality (CoC) may be issued on studies involving collection of sensitive data requiring privacy protection for research study participants (e.g., studies on sexual practices and preferences, illegal behavior, drug or alcohol abuse). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issues CoCs to protect identifiable information from forced disclosure such as court orders and subpoenas. Any principal investigator (PI) considering obtaining a CoC should initiate the CoC process concurrently with submittal to the IRB.
The NIH maintains a CoC information kiosk, and those project PIs interested in a CoC should visit the kiosk to evaluate whether their project is eligible. If eligible, the PI next must contact the UNLV Office of Research Integrity – Human Subjects to coordinate submission of the CoC application and obtain signature of the institutional official. The PI must indicate on the IRB Protocol Proposal Form that s/he will be pursuing a CoC on the project. Once IRB approval is obtained, the PI may submit a request for a CoC. The project may not be initiated until after the CoC is received.
