09 Nov Tips to overcome the 4 major barriers to patient diversity

By Ed Miseta, Clinical Leader

Pharma companies have spent years trying to deal with the issue of patient diversity in clinical trials. One study, conducted in 2015, found that 20% of new drugs demonstrated differences in exposure and/or response across racial and ethnic groups. The need for more diverse patients in clinical studies also has regulators pushing for more action on the part of pharma companies. Draft guidance released by the FDA in April 2022 is recommending that drug developers develop a plan to increase diversity in clinical trial designs they propose to the agency.

As companies look for ways to increase diversity in their patient populations, I am reminded of a presentation I attended at the 2016 SCRS Global Solutions Summit. Ola Akinboboye, a cardiologist, clinical professor of cardiology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra-Northwell, and medical director of the Queens Heart Institute, gave one of the best presentations I have heard on how to increase the participation of African Americans and other minorities in clinical research. He presented best practices on how to alleviate trial participation barriers. With the attention now being paid to diversity in trials, it seems to be a suitable time to revisit his insights. Read more …