Table 1 Characteristics of the identified registers
Register | Specific to systematic reviews | Generic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PROSPERO | Research Registry | INPLASY | OSF Registries | protocols.io | |
Full name | International prospective register of systematic reviews | Research Registry - Registry of Systematic Reviews/Meta-Analyses | International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols | OSF Preregistration | protocols.io |
URL | researchregistry.com/browse-the-registry#registryofsystematicreviewsmeta-analyses/ | ||||
Available since | 2011 | 2015 | 2020 | 2019 | 2014 |
Costs | None | 99 GBP per systematic review | New registration: 20.90 USD or 12 USD (reduced price for selected countries). Update of registration: 8.90 USD (reduced price 4.90 USD). | None | None |
Number of registration records as per 27 February 2021 | > 100,000 (106,828) | > 1000 reviews (1051) | > 1000 (1446) | > 1000 (4152 when searching “systematic review” | > 100 (140 when searching “systematic review”) |
Assessment of records (e.g., for completeness, eligibility) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Processing time (submission to publication) | No information | None (data curation takes place afterwards) | Max. 48 h | None | None |
Fields/structure | 28 mandatory fields, 12 optional fields | 28 mandatory fields, 6 optional fields | 24 mandatory fields, 9 optional fields | 13 mandatory fields in OSF preregistration; 5 mandatory fields in Open-Ended-Registration | No given structure |
Enables searching | Yes, text words, MeSH terms and many other characteristics | Yes, primary investigator, text words, title, and identifying number | Yes, text words and identifying number | Yes, text words only | Yes, text words only |
Provides contact address of corresponding author | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Not mandatory, but messages can be sent through protocols.io |
Reminders to keep the entry up to date? | Yes | Unclear | No | No | Unclear |
Information on review status (i.e., completed/published) | Yes | Link/Reference/DOI of full paper can be added once published | Yes | No | No |
Restricted to reviews? | Yes, accepts only systematic reviews | Yes, accepts systematic reviews and meta-analyses | Yes, accepts systematic and scoping reviews | No, accepts all study designs | No, accepts all study designs |
Restricted to field/discipline? | Health; but accepts also social care, welfare, public health, education, crime, justice, and international development if there is a direct health-related outcome | No | No | No | No |
Version tracking | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Unique identifying number | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
DOI | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Section for submitting results | No | Yes, allows for uploading any data files | No | No, but can be linked to OSF project where results can be uploaded | No |