In the clinical trial arena we are hearing a general cry for results transparency. Dr. Ben Goldacre and the company AllTrials are at least partially responsible for thrusting the issue into the limelight , though many other voices over recent years have requested that more data be available for dissemination. Arguably one of the earliest champions of this idea was the US government in enacting the requirements for the website www.ClinicalTrials.gov (CT.gov). Many other regulatory agencies and governments have hopped on the bandwagon and are now requesting clinical trial registration and trial results transparency for their country or region, with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) leading the charge with EudraCT. But is this really transparency, or a provision of some data to appease the public demand? What is the ultimate downstream benefit, if any, and who pays for these requirements?