NIH Privacy Certificates Shield Reproductive Research Post-Roe

Reproductive health researchers shouldn’t have to turn over their data to law enforcement in states with post-Roe abortion bans thanks to a federal statute—although legal experts caution it’s an added layer of protection and not a guarantee.

A program known as certificates of confidentiality protects identifiable, sensitive research data from the legal process, making the data inadmissible as evidence unless the participant agrees to its disclosure. The program is written into the Public Health Service Act.

These certificates aren’t new. They’ve been around since the 1970s, allowing researchers to study illicit drug use to guide evidence-based policies. The 21st ...