Science for all: Is it all about the publication of data, or beyond?

Abstract

This article presents an overview of open access initiatives by researchers, journals, government bodies, and regulatory authorities. Open access initiatives are valuable to the scientific community and have increased the amount of clinical research information available to the general public. Sharing this information in a manner that is understood by those without scientific training is important. This article discusses plain language summaries, their requirements and benefits, and what additional steps should be taken to improve transparency in clinical research.