This case involves a researcher who is assigned the task of discarding research data after the research has been completed. The researcher realizes there could be some future benefits from not discarding the data, but the researcher has been assigned with the responsibility of discarding the data.

At the completion of a healthcare study about infants, the research team decides to archive certain parts of the data and discard the remaining part of the data that may not be necessary for replicating the study in the future or conducting further analyses. One of the project team members is assigned the task of discarding data by shredding, deleting computer files, and reformatting the disks. While exploring the data to be discarded, the team member realizes that the data decided for discarding contains information about particular infants that could be useful to the parents if a cure or treatment was ever discovered for their ailment covered in the study. But the project team is responsible only for the particular healthcare study on infants as directed by an agency.

These are some possible outcomes:

The principal investigator decides to continue discarding selected data after the research has been completed. How should the data be handled?

The principal investigator decides to initiate a discussion with his research peers and colleagues in order to reevaluate the wisdom of discarding the selected data.

The principal investigator decides to immediately cease the process of discarding selected data.