Opinion: Why institutional review boards should have a role in the open science movement | PNAS

Open science involves the use of practices across the research life cycle that facilitate the transparency, reproducibility, and availability of scientific products and output. Prominent open science practices include registration of study protocols and preanalysis plans; materials, data, and code sharing; and publication of summary findings in open access outlets. To achieve openness as the default approach, initiatives are trying to use a systems approach to engage stakeholders—namely, scientific journals, funding agencies, and professional societies. Proponents hope to realign the research enterprise with the values of transparency and reproducibility.

Institutional review boards (IRBs) are overlooked, yet critical, stakeholders for proponents to engage in open science initiatives...