Do we consent to rules of consent and confidentiality?

Confidentiality and informed consent are important concepts enabling the sharing of sensitive data. In a paper on this topic of this issue, Williams and Pigeot () discuss that these have to be balanced with openness to ensure research standards. In this opinion paper, we give some background on how the paper by Williams and Pigeot evolved, reflect on their concepts, and provide some examples of the application of these concepts in various settings relevant to biostatisticians working in health research.