Most clinical trials are not representative of the general population or of those with a particular disease. Clinical trials primarily enroll white, male patients, with consistent underrepresentation of women, the elderly, and people of color — especially Black and Hispanic patients. While people of color make up about 39% of the U.S. population, these groups represent from 2% to 16% of patients in trials.
Addressing Demographic Disparities in Clinical Trials
Women, people of color, and the elderly are often underrepresented in the data.
June 11, 2021
Summary.
Disparities in health care are not just limited to the delivery of care. They also exist in the way that clinical trials are structured. Women, people of color, and the elderly often are not adequately represented. This article offers three strategies for addressing this deficiency: (1) know what “representative” means for your disease and set intentional recruitment goals; (2) use patient registry datasets as the basis for trials; and (3) go beyond traditional academic medical centers (AMCs) to access patients.