As we come to the end of 2025, we have five new entries into the top ten most read BMJ Open papers of December. The Top 10 is compiled based on full text views, including downloads of the full article PDFs. Read more about these articles below. 

A new entry at number two is a scoping review by Valiani et al. This review aimed to examine the equitable participation of racialised communities in human genomic research and includes perspectives from genomicists, decision makers, legal experts and importantly, leaders from racialised communities. The authors highlight the importance of prioritising authentic engagement with racialised communities in order to optimise inclusivity and equity in this area of research.  

The fourth most read paper this month is a protocol for an e-Delphi study by Félix et al. on pain management in non-verbal people living with dementia. The aim is to achieve expert consensus on the key barriers to pain management, as well as identifying strategies to address these barriers in Portuguese residential care facilities.

At number five, we have a new entry by Lou et al. This qualitative study in Denmark explores how parents of children with de novo retinoblastoma experience the diagnostic process and acute treatment phase. The aim was also to identify factors that may support parental coping and adaptation. In order to improve care, the authors suggest earlier recognition of parental concern, transparent diagnostic communication and long-term psychosocial follow-up. 

Another new entry is a randomised controlled trial by Daly et al. This aimed to assess the effectiveness of sending short message service (SMS) reminders to the caregivers of girls who were eligible for human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation in Georgia. The authors found that each version of SMS reminders were more effective than the control (no reminder) in encouraging HPV vaccination. While SMS reminders demonstrate potential, the authors argue that this approach only addresses one of the many barriers to vaccination uptake. 

Lastly, Ajani et al. conducted a questionnaire-based study to determine the prevalence and predictors of early childhood exposure to skin-lightening products in Southwestern Nigeria. The authors observed a high prevalence of early childhood exposure to skin-lightening products in a semiurban Nigerian community, with maternal behaviours and perceptions emerging as significant associated factors. Further longitudinal and qualitative studies are warranted to explore the dynamics of early cosmetic exposure to inform evidence-based public health strategies.