Plain Language Summaries

Standalone, citable summaries published in the Future Science Group journals written to be understood by a lay audience

Joanne Walker

Understanding sacituzumab govitecan as a treatment for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: a plain language summary of the ASCENT study

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive cancer with limited treatment options. Sacituzumab govitecan is a potential new treatment for people with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer that has been studied in the ASCENT clinical study.

This new article, published in Future Oncology, provides a plain language summary of the ASCENT study. The article, called ‘A plain language summary of the ASCENT study: Sacituzumab Govitecan for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer’ can be read for free here.

The original article published in New England Journal of Medicine can be read here.

Plain language summary of the GARNET study looking at dostarlimab treatment in women with recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer

Dostarlimab is a new type of treatment for women with recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer. The drug was approved for treatment based on the findings of a clinical study called GARNET, originally published in JAMA Oncology. This plain language summary, called ‘Clinical activity and safety of the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody dostarlimab for patients with recurrent or advanced dMMR endometrial cancer’ helps patients and other people affected by endometrial cancer understand the results of the GARNET study.

Read the article in full here.

The original article, entitled ‘Clinical Activity and Safety of the Anti–Programmed Death 1 Monoclonal Antibody Dostarlimab for Patients With Recurrent or Advanced Mismatch Repair–Deficient Endometrial Cancer. A Nonrandomized Phase 1 Clinical Trial’ published in JAMA Oncology, can be found here.

Understanding the different types of plain language summary

A new resource from Open Pharma aims to provide a definitive guide to the various types of plain language documents that are produced. Providing definitions for plain language summaries, trial results summaries and plain language summaries of publications, this is a handy crib sheet anyone in the field what to understand the different terminologies that are used. The crib sheet is available to download here.

Other useful resources produced by Open Pharma can be on the Resources page of their website, under the Educational materials dropdown here.

About Open Pharma

Open Pharma aims to improve the pharma publications model by connecting pharma with innovations in publishing to increase transparency and access to research outputs. One of their four core values ‘Accessibility’ includes preprints, plain language summaries and publication enhancements to ensure faster and wider dissemination of results, increased citations and use of results.

Vosoritide for the treatment of achondroplasia: findings from two studies

Achondroplasia is the most common form of disproportionate short stature, also known as dwarfism, in humans. There are currently no approved treatments for achondroplasia, except for growth hormone in Japan.

Vosoritide is potentially the first medicine to be approved to treat children with achondroplasia. To help lay audiences understand the results from two clinical studies looking at vosoritide as a potential treatment for children with achondroplasia, a new plain language summary has just been published in Future Rare Diseases. The article, called ‘Vosoritide treatment accelerates bone growth in children with achondroplasia’ provides an easy-to-understand summary of the studies, written in straightforward language complemented with engaging visuals.

Read the Plain Language Summary in full here.

The original articles summarised in this plain language summary can be found below.

Study A is called ‘C-type natriuretic peptide analogue therapy in children with achondroplasia’ and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It can be read here.

Study B is called ‘Once-daily, subcutaneous vosoritide therapy in children with achondroplasia: a randomised, double-blind, Phase 3, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial’ and was published in The Lancet. It can be read here.

Developing publication plain language summaries: Insights from Pfizer

Since piloting the development of a plain language summary (PLS) of a congress abstract back in 2018, Pfizer have now established a company-wide program for developing PLS. So far in 2021, they have developed 116 PLS for 46 products across the company, demonstrating their commitment to this important initiative ensuring their publications are accessible and understandable by all.

With extensive experience in this area, in the latest article in the MAP Newsletter, the official newsletter of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals, Pfizer desribe their experience integrating PLS into their standard practices for publications.

Sharing a wealth of insights into why, when and how PLS should be developed, this article is an essential read for everyone in the publications field wanting to learn how to implement their own PLS program.

Read the article in full here.

By applying health literacy best practices and helping to ensure discoverability and accessibility of PLS, we as scientific communication professionals have the opportunity to share important scientific research to a broader audience with a consistent approach.