What protects a study participant's right to privacy?

The protection of a study participant's right to privacy is fundamentally grounded in confidentiality procedures. These procedures are specifically designed to ensure that any personally identifiable information collected during the research is safeguarded against unauthorized access and disclosure. By implementing confidentiality protocols, researchers commit to keeping participants' data secure and using it only for the intended research purposes. This creates an environment of trust where participants can freely share sensitive information without fear that it will be shared inappropriately or used against them.

Informed consent is crucial as it ensures that participants are aware of what their involvement entails, but it does not alone guarantee the protection of their private information. Transparency in research relates to the openness regarding the research process and findings, while the publication of results focuses on disseminating knowledge gained from the study. Although these aspects are important for ethical research practices, they do not directly address the confidentiality of participants' data, which is the primary concern for their right to privacy. Hence, confidentiality procedures are the key mechanisms in protecting participants’ privacy throughout the research process.