07 Jun New survey suggests many Black cancer patients aren’t made aware of clinical trials

By Nicole DeFeudis, Endpoints News

Clinical trials largely fail to enroll diverse patient populations — and in the last couple of years, patient advocates, the FDA and even a slate of pharma companies have taken steps to change that.

However, new research suggests that many Black patients aren’t made aware of trials in the first place.

Of 102 patients who self-identified as Black in a recent Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance survey, 40% said that no one on their care team had discussed clinical trials. But more than 90% said they would be interested in learning about them, and 83% said they would be somewhat or very likely to consider participating.

“I do feel like the African American community are the last ones to know about these trials or may never know due to the color of our skin,” one respondent wrote, according to the report. “I only found about clinical trials through a nonprofit organization. Even though I found out through them I didn’t understand how to go about getting one and proceed forward.”

A number of barriers exist even after a patient becomes aware of a trial, with the MBC Alliance noting logistics (travel time and number of appointments) and expenses as some of the most prevalent challenges. Read more …