Plain-language and lay summaries

Plain-language summaries people can actually read

Plain-language summaries of publications, EU Clinical Trials Regulation lay summaries and visual abstracts, written for patients and the public and traced line by line to the source.

  • Free sample draft in 3 working days
  • 3 review rounds included
  • NDA signed the same day
  • Proposal within 24 hours
  • US contract with Neucite LLC
What we write

Every audience outside the specialist

We turn trial results and papers into text that patients, carers, payers and the public can follow.

Plain-language summaries of publications

Summaries published alongside or after your paper.

  • Journal-format PLS
  • Stand-alone PLS articles
  • Summaries of congress presentations

EU CTR lay summaries

Lay summaries of trial results for the EU Clinical Trials Information System.

  • Structured to the regulation’s lay-summary content
  • Written for a lay reading level
  • Ready for your translation vendor

Visual abstracts and infographics

One-page visuals of the key result.

  • Visual abstracts for journals and social media
  • Infographics of trial design and results
  • Accessible colour and text alternatives

Patient-facing trial results

Results communication for trial participants.

  • Thank-you and results letters
  • Website results pages
  • Question-and-answer sheets

Readability-tested wording

Text measured, not guessed.

  • Readability scores reported for each draft
  • Jargon replaced or defined
  • Numbers presented as natural frequencies

Source traceability

Every statement tied to the paper or report.

  • Line-by-line source table
  • No new claims beyond the source
  • Second-writer check against the data
What you receive

A summary you can defend line by line

Plain-language does not mean loose. Each summary arrives with the record that ties it to the source.

  • Summary text: at the agreed reading level, with readability scores
  • Source traceability table: every sentence linked to its place in the paper or report
  • Glossary: terms the reader still needs, defined in plain words
  • Figures: visual abstract or simple charts of the main result
  • Reference check: citations verified against their DOIs
  • Disclosure statement: funding and writing support stated as GPP 2022 requires
Why it matters

Readers outside medicine now read your results

Journals, regulators and patient groups increasingly expect results in plain language. A summary written loosely creates risk; one written to the source builds trust.

  • EU CTR requires a lay summary of results for trials it covers
  • Many journals now accept plain-language summaries with articles
  • Patient organisations share plain-language results directly
  • Plain language reaches payers and policymakers faster
  • A traced summary avoids promotional or off-label wording

Try us free first

  • A plain-language summary of one of your published papers
  • Delivered with its readability scores and source table
  • Free, under NDA, in 3 working days
Try us free →
How it works

From brief to delivery

Fixed scope, fixed fee and dates agreed in writing before work starts.

Send the brief

Tell us the deliverable, target and deadline. We sign your NDA the same day.

Get a proposal in 24 hours

Scope, fee, your named writer and dated milestones.

Write and review

Three review rounds included. Fixes for our own errors are always free.

Deliver with the record

Final files plus the checklist, logs and QC record for the job.

FAQ

Questions we are asked first

What is the difference between a plain-language summary and a lay summary?

A plain-language summary usually accompanies a publication. A lay summary under the EU Clinical Trials Regulation is a required summary of a trial’s results for the public. We write both.

Which journals accept plain-language summaries?

A growing number of journals and publishers accept them, either alongside the article or as a separate piece. We check your target journal’s policy before we write.

What reading level do you write to?

The level agreed with you for the audience, and we report readability scores for each draft so you can see it.

Can patients review the summary?

Yes. If you nominate patient reviewers, we build their review into the rounds and record their comments.

Can we try you before we pay?

Yes. Send one of your published papers and get a free plain-language summary under NDA in 3 working days.

See your paper in plain language, free

Free sample in 3 working days, NDA the same day.

Try free: get a sample draft
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