FDA Seeks Clinical Trial Diversity

An article posted this week by FDA Voice announced their initiative to increase diversity in clinical trials. The goal is to teach a range of ethnic communities how to become involved in the research process that brings new treatments to market.

Since diseases affect some populations differently, it’s important to study a diverse pool of research participants. For example, diabetes is most common in blacks and Hispanics, and Asian American communities are more prone to hepatitis B, yet most clinical trial participants are white males. The FDA’s goal is to have participants more closely mirror the patients who will eventually be treated with the medical products.

Jonca Bull, M.D. and blogger for FDA Voice wrote, “Although FDA generally does not conduct clinical trials, we do the critical work in reviewing the data to assess the safety and efficacy of medical products before they can be used in medical practice. None of this is possible without clinical trials and the patients who go the extra mile by being research participants.” The campaign will launch June 19^th on World Sickle Cell Day, and consist of a variety of educational aids including videos, blogs, and infographics.