Digital platforms for ethics review: a mini review

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Health Informatics
• Research Administration

Background:

• Digital platforms for ethics review (DPER) are emerging tools for research ethics committees (RECs).
• Digital transformation and operational autonomy are key considerations for RECs.
• Existing literature from 2013-2024 provides insights into DPER adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current use of DPER and assess REC preparedness for digital transformation.
• To synthesize research on DPER challenges, successes, and recommendations.
• To identify gaps in the literature regarding governance and readiness for digital autonomy.

Main Methods:

• Structured analysis of peer-reviewed studies published between 2013 and 2024.
• Thematic synthesis of findings related to DPER implementation and REC operational autonomy.
• Identification of reported successes, challenges, and recommendations for DPER adoption.

Main Results:

• Digitalization efforts in RECs primarily improve administrative efficiency, protocol tracking, and communication.
• Improvements in processing times and documentation management are reported with DPER adoption.
• Limited attention is given to system-level governance, regulatory alignment, infrastructure, data security, and institutional capacity.

Conclusions:

• DPER show potential for enhancing research oversight but require further investigation into governance and readiness.
• There is a need for research on institutional digital capacity variability and the impact of automation in ethics review.
• Ensuring digital transformation supports ethical governance in RECs necessitates further empirical and conceptual research.