Privacy
The National Children’s Study takes its commitment to protect the privacy of its Study participants very seriously. The Study will meet or exceed all laws, regulations, and guidelines related to the strict protection of participant privacy and the confidentiality of the information participants share with the Study.
Participants’ personal information will be closely protected by Study staff members who are trained on issues related to privacy and confidentiality. Data collected for the Study will be used only for research purposes. The Study will use unique identification numbers and carefully designed computer-management systems that protect each participant’s personal identifying information.
Informed Consent
Informed consent means providing eligible participants with the information they need to know about the National Children’s Study so they can make an informed choice before agreeing to participate. A Study representative will explain what is involved in joining the Study and will review an informational booklet with families considering participation. Study personnel must receive a potential participant’s permission before enrollment. The participant indicates agreement to enroll in the Study by signing a consent form.