Privacy
The National Children’s Study takes its commitment to protect the privacy of its participants very seriously. The Study will meet 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 personal identifying information.
Informed Consent
Informed Consent means providing an eligible participant with the information they need to know about the National Children’s Study so they can make an informed choice before agreeing to participate.
When a Study representative visits an interested participant in their home who is interested in the Study, the representative will explain exactly what is involved by joining the Study, and will review an informational booklet with them at that time. They will ask a potential participant’s permission before they do anything. At the time a participant joins the Study, they will be asked to sign a consent form. By signing this form, the participant agrees that they and their child are willing to take part in the National Children’s Study.