What describes a data linkage plan under TCPS 2?

• A. A plan describing collecting new data rather than linking existing datasets.
• B. A plan describing linking datasets while protecting privacy; uses secure keys and separate identifiers to minimize risk.
• C. A plan to disclose all linked data publicly without safeguards.
• D. A plan to avoid any data linkage due to privacy concerns.

Answer: (B)

Linking data from multiple sources is valuable but raises privacy risks, so a data linkage plan under TCPS 2 outlines how the linkage will be done with privacy protections integrated. The best plan describes how datasets will be joined while safeguarding participants’ identities, typically by using secure keys and keeping identifying information separate from the research data so that re-identification risk is minimized. This approach often involves de-identification or pseudonymization, secure data environments, clear governance, access controls, and explicit procedures for data destruction or re-identification controls after linkage.

Why this option fits best is that it directly addresses both the linkage process and the privacy protections that make linkage ethically permissible. The other approaches miss or reject the essential balance TCPS 2 requires between enabling valuable data linkage and protecting privacy: collecting new data instead of linking avoids the linkage context, publicly disclosing linked data without safeguards violates privacy, and avoiding linkage altogether defeats the purpose of planning a data linkage in the first place.