18 Oct Diversity, equity, and inclusion in patient recruitment and retention

By Kate Schroeder and Seth Palmer, The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP)

It is crucial to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in clinical trials for the health and well-being of everyone. Health disparities and inequities among marginalized communities reflect the institutional structures that impede communities from accessing healthcare and clinical studies. There are many steps the industry can take as it strives to improve upon DEI, including increasing diversity among leadership and physicians, destigmatizing clinical research, translating recruitment and retention materials to multiple languages, focusing on DEI when building out protocols, and more.

The points outlined in this article offer some guidance for the clinical research industry but are not comprehensive. Rather, the suggestions highlight the importance of DEI in clinical research and further the discussion toward meaningful change. Moreover, any claims made about the experiences of people of color, LGBTQIA groups, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, or people with disabilities are not representative of entire communities. Additionally, this article does not address intersectionality due to the lack of data around patient populations belonging to multiple groups. Read more …