Researchers are increasingly asked to share data they generate in the course of their research. However, some of this data contains information about study participants and sharing this data would breach the confidentiality of these participants. The removal of direct (and indirect) personal identifiers from research data can substantially reduce the risk of sharing this sensitive data.
Johns Hopkins Data Services has compiled a list of de-identification software tools and applications that can be used in de-identifying research data for public sharing. The information on this page is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement of any particular tool for data de-identification. Investigators and researchers should ensure that they follow data governance policies and procedures that apply to their data. Refer to your IRB and the Johns Hopkins Privacy Office for further information. Medical and health research subject to oversite by the JHM Data Trust Council has additional requirements regarding disclosure protection and de-identification. Please refer to the Data Trust FAQ for details.
See also our overview document on protecting and removing personal identifiers of research subjects for data sharing. De-Identifying Human Subjects Data (JHU version). (Version for non-JHU visitors)
Johns Hopkins researchers are encouraged to talk with Johns Hopkins Data Services for advice and guidance on de-identification of human subjects research data. Please contact us at dataservices@jhu.edu.