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Why diversity in clinical trials is important. And how you can help!

Posted at 1:00 PM, May 20, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-20 16:00:58-04

Janssen Pharmaceutical is a paid sponsor of The Morning Blend.

Clinical trials are an essential component of health care. They help ensure that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration-approved products and treatments we use are safe and effective, and they offer hope for cures to debilitating diseases. Yet a lack of diversity in clinical trials is a serious issue with significant health implications. People of color, including Asian American and other racial groups, make up 40% of the general population in the U.S. Yet clinical trial participation skews heavily White—in some cases, 80% to 90%.

In this interview, experts answer important questions about why clinical trial participation often doesn’t reflect patient demographics, how that impacts health equity and what should be and is being done about it. Dr. Randall Morgan, a health disparities expert, discusses why it is vital for all populations of people to be included when researching. Ramona Burress shares what is being done through the Research Includes Me program to make sure all populations are heard and represented in clinical trials. For more information, please visit researchincludesme.com