Which of the following statements about confidentiality in TCPS 2 is correct?

• A. All of the above.
• B. Researchers have an ethical duty to maintain the confidentiality of information they collect during the course of research.
• C. A researcher's duty of confidentiality extends to human biological materials collected during the course of research.
• D. Researchers may have legal obligations to maintain the privacy of research participants.

Answer: (A)

Confidentiality in TCPS 2 is about protecting participants' privacy and the information that identifies them. Ethically, researchers have a duty to maintain that confidentiality by securely handling data, restricting access, and using de-identified information whenever possible. This duty isn’t limited to data alone; it also covers human biological materials because such materials can be linked back to a person or reveal identifying information. Proper confidentiality practices apply to how these materials are stored, used, and potentially shared, including consent for future use. In addition, researchers may have legal obligations to protect privacy under privacy and health information laws, so complying with those laws is part of responsible research conduct. Together, these points reflect TCPS 2 expectations, making all of these statements correct.