What is the Resource Access Board (RAB)?

The All of Us Resource Access Board (RAB) is the board charged with protecting the data that participants share.

The RAB has two roles: reviewing research projects to ensure compliance with the Data User Code of Conduct (DUCC) and helping researchers with questions about program policies. The RAB is composed of members with diverse expertise in clinical research, bioethics, community-engaged research, and data privacy, as well as Participant Ambassadors. The RAB also draws on outside experts when needed.

How the RAB reviews workspaces

When researchers begin a project in the Researcher Workbench, they must create a workspace description, which is publicly available in the Research Projects Directory. Each workspace description contains a field where anyone may request a review of a project through the directory. The RAB is responsible for reviewing these workspaces, either upon request or as part of a routine workspace audit.

After a review is initiated, the RAB will examine the workspace to determine whether there are any violations of the DUCC. This includes careful consideration whether projects may potentially be discriminatory or stigmatizing to any individuals, groups, or communities.

If there are no violations, the research may continue. If the RAB finds a violation or has concerns about a potential future violation, then they can take a number of actions, including requesting changes to the research. For serious violations, the RAB may also recommend that the program sanction the researcher, end the project, have the researcher’s account disabled, or take other measures as needed.

How the RAB provides guidance

In addition to conducting project reviews to ensure that researchers are complying with All of Us policies, the RAB is always available to assist researchers with compliance.

Researchers may contact the RAB directly at AOUResourceAccess@od.nih.gov with questions about complying with the Data User Code of Conduct and accompanying policies. This may include questions about crafting a meaningful workspace description, preventing stigmatizing research, complying with the Data and Statistics Dissemination Policy, or other topics. The RAB also reviews requests for exceptions from the DSD Policy, which researchers can submit through this form.

For more information on the RAB, please see this article in Research Roundup.

To confirm that your research products are compliant with relevant program policies, please review the All of Us Publication, Presentation, and Poster checklist.