Researchers
must work under the supervision of an RDC Staff Analyst
and only during normal working hours (Monday-Friday,
9:00 a.m.–
5:00 p.m.).
Admittance
to the RDC will be limited to the researchers whose names are included in
the Research Proposal.
Guest Researchers
will be required to show photo identification before admittance.
External
researchers are not allowed to bring documents, manuals, books, etc., that
may enable them to identify and disclose the confidential information they
access in the RDC.
No
cell phones, pagers, or other communication
devices in the facilities.
Time
to conduct research in the RDC can be scheduled in increments ranging from a
consecutive 2-day minimum to a consecutive 10-day maximum.Extensions can be negotiated
with RDC staff subject to scheduling requirements.
Researchers
wishing to link data in the RDC with external data should provide the
external data to RDC staff a minimum of 7 days prior to the approved date
for access to the RDC.
Researchers
must conduct only those analyses which have received approval. Failure to
comply will result in cancellation of the research activity and potential
disbarment from future research activities in the RDC.In the case where Ethics Review Board (ERB) approval is
required to conduct research, RDC staff will notify relevant
ERBs of
infringements of protocol approvals.
Workstation
requirements
A
maximum of 3 collaborating researchers can sit at a computer station.
Only
approved datasets will be available on the
workstation.
Guest
researchers must be able to conduct their analyses with the software
specified in their research proposal.
All
logs will be printed or electronically archived and will be kept by the RDC,
which will retain only the programs and procedures run by external
researchers. The logs will not include results from their research.
Output
requirements
All
computer output generated by statistical programs and all hand-written notes
based on such computer output are subject to disclosure review by RDC staff
before removal from the RDC.
Output
is restricted to summary tables of geographic or patient-level data (e.g.,
line listings of diagnoses by study identifier will be prohibited).
Guest
researchers may not save output, files, or programs to transportable
electronic media. RDC staff can copy output or programs to transportable
media, if requested.
Researchers
proposing multiple analyses that employ multiple data sets will have access
to only one dataset at a time. Under no circumstance will researchers be
permitted any opportunity to merge datasets on their own.
For
more information contact: Peter Meyer, Director
Research Data Center National Center for Health Statistics
3311 Toledo Road, Suite 4113
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Voice Mail: (301) 458-4375
Fax: (301) 458-4039
E-mail: PMeyer1@cdc.gov