Confidentiality Policies

Peer reviewers and observers must ensure that:

• All documentation and information that LHF entrusts to peer reviewers and observers is maintained in strict confidence at all times. It must be used only for the purpose for which it was originally collected – namely, to review applications and make funding recommendations as applicable;
• Review documentation is stored in a secure manner to prevent unauthorized access. It must be transmitted using secure techniques and when it is no longer required, it must be destroyed in a secure manner. Any loss or theft of the documentation must be reported to LHF;
• All enquiries or representations received by peer reviewers or observers about an application or its review must be referred to LHF. Peer reviewers or observers must not contact the applicants for additional information or disclose matters arising from the review process to the applicants.

Additional requirements for peer reviewers and observers:

• Review deliberations are confidential. Comments made during the review of an application and any related summaries or conclusions must never be discussed or disclosed with individuals not involved in the review process unless required by legislation or the courts.
• The identity of successful applicants and the details of the grants/awards must remain confidential until a decision is made by LHF and officially announced to the applicants and the public. The identities of unsuccessful or ineligible applicants are not made public and must not be divulged.
• During any meetings held, observers must be as unobtrusive as possible to minimize disruption and must not share written notes or documentation related to reviewer assignments, ratings or reviewer comments on applications with individuals not on the LHF review committees.

By reviewing an application, reviewers confirm that they have read and understood the above Confidentiality Policy. They agree to comply with the requirements of LHF’s Confidentiality Policy. They understand that any breach of these policies will result in a review of the matter, with LHF reserving the right to take appropriate action including, but not limited to, their removal from peer review service.

Any action that LHF may or may not take will not prevent a person whose privacy rights have been compromised from seeking legal action against the respondent. By reviewing an application, reviewers certify that they are not currently ineligible to apply for and/or hold funds from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) or any other research or research funding organization worldwide for reasons of breach of policies on responsible conduct of research – such as ethics, integrity or financial management policies.

Similarly, reviewers also certify that they are not currently under investigation for a breach of such policies. If they become the subject of such an investigation, they will immediately withdraw from participation in the LHF review processes until the investigation is complete and LHF has determined that they are once again eligible to participate. Reviewers agree to take personal responsibility for complying with these requirements.