Can access and accessibility rebuild public trust in research?

Abstract

Trust is built gradually, and it is easily threatened, particularly in relation to pharmaceutical research. The potential for open access publishing and plain language summaries to contribute to improved trust in pharmaceutical research was discussed by experts at the Open Pharma Satellite Symposium, held at the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers Annual Conference and Awards 2022 in Manchester, UK. No single endeavour will win public trust overnight, but removing paywall barriers between all readers and sources of trusted information, and publishing research summaries that are written in accessible, plain English are important steps towards fostering greater trust in research. Both endeavours also have the potential to help the public make informed decisions about their health.