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The rejection of the research proposal by the institutional review board was primarily due to concerns regarding the protection of the subjects' rights. Institutional review boards (IRBs) are responsible for ensuring that research involving human subjects adheres to ethical standards. A fundamental aspect of these ethical standards includes the protection of participants' rights, which involves obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and minimizing any potential harm to participants.

When a proposal lacks clarity on how these rights will be protected, IRBs may view it as too risky for participants, as there may be a failure to ensure their safety, autonomy, and dignity. This concern is paramount in research settings because ethical oversight is essential to maintain the integrity of the research process and the trust of the community.

In contrast to this option, while elements like statistical methods, literature reviews, and budgeting are important for the feasibility and scientific rigor of a study, they do not directly address the ethical implications regarding participant rights. Thus, those aspects, while relevant to the overall quality of the research proposal, are secondary to the primary concern of protecting the participants’ rights in the context of ethical research practices.