Plain Language Summary Requirements For Clinical Trials

Plain language summaries (PLS) of Clinical Trial Results are a critical tool in medical communication to help disseminate summarized, easy-to-digest research information to general audiences. Typically, these are used to share details of clinical study protocols, publications, or results while eliminating much of the technical language and jargon that can create barriers to effective communication with the public.

Having a clear understanding of how certain studies or research might impact specific individuals or communities helps to demystify complex concepts, which can often spur mistrust or misunderstandings between researchers and the general public.

Alongside the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, PLSs have been essential in bridging existing knowledge gaps. They’ve demonstrated the efficacy and safety of individual vaccines to catalyze comprehension and, ultimately, vaccine uptake. With this in mind, here are our key insights into developing an effective PLS.