What should you do if your collaborator insists that you give them a copy of the study participants' sensitive data?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Protecting participants’ confidentiality and following the approved data governance are primary obligations, so the correct action is to consult your ethics approval and data management plan/institutional policy to identify an appropriate way to share the data.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Research ethics and legal/regulatory requirements (e.g., informed consent, IRB/REB approval conditions). 
- Data management plans and institutional policies that specify permitted uses, sharing mechanisms, and de-identification requirements. 
- Secure data-sharing mechanisms (de-identification, controlled access repositories, data use agreements, encrypted transfers). 
- Accountability and auditability (who is authorized, logging, and contractual protections).

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- Check the informed consent documents to see whether participants agreed to share their sensitive data and under what conditions. 
- Review the ethics/IRB approval to confirm any restrictions or required conditions (e.g., anonymization, restricted access). 
- Consult the study’s data management plan and institutional policy for approved methods to share sensitive data (secure repository, DSA/DUA, approved secure transfer protocols). 
- If current approvals don’t permit the requested sharing, seek an amendment from the ethics board or put a data use agreement in place before sharing. 
- Use institutionally approved secure transfer (encrypted, access-controlled) or a trusted data enclave rather than ad hoc methods.

3) Intermediate steps / practical actions
- Identify specific clauses in consent and approval documents.
- Contact data governance or research integrity office for recommended process.
- Arrange DUA and controlled-access transfer or submit amendment to IRB if needed.

4) Why this answer is correct
Following approved ethical and institutional processes ensures legal compliance, protects participants, and documents authorization for sharing.

5) Why other options are incorrect
- a) USB/postal transfer is insecure and risks loss/breach. 
- b) Sharing credentials violates access controls and policy. 
- d) Immediately ending collaboration is unnecessary and avoids resolving the governance issue.

6) Conclusion
Therefore the correct choice is c, matching the provided answer.

What should you do if your collaborator insists that you give them a copy of the study participants' sensitive data?单项选择题

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