What is necessary for transparency of clinical trials?

• A. Full disclosure of all sponsor trade secrets.
• B. Posting results only in a paid subscription journal.
• C. Timely registration on publicly accessible databases and public posting of trial results.
• D. Public listing without the actual results.

Answer: (C)

Transparency in clinical trials means making essential information about the study openly available so others can understand what was planned, how it was conducted, and what was found. The best way to achieve this is by registering the trial in a publicly accessible database before enrollment starts and then publicly posting the results after completion. This ensures that the study details (design, endpoints, population, and analysis plan) and the actual outcomes (including adverse events) are accessible to researchers, clinicians, patients, and regulators, enabling verification, comparison, and comprehensive evidence synthesis.

Why the other options don’t fit: sharing sponsor trade secrets isn’t the goal of trial transparency and could hinder scientific progress; posting results only in a paid journal limits access and delays dissemination; listing the trial without providing results leaves important information incomplete and doesn’t enable assessment of the study’s findings.