“It is well known that there are tremendous disparities and lack of diversity in clinical research. Studies consistently show underrepresentation of minority groups in clinical trials.
For example, 76% of cardiovascular clinical trial participants are white even though heart disease affects all racial groups similarly. Racial and ethnic minorities are also underrepresented in cancer clinical trials leading to less accurate treatment recommendations. Genomic diversity is also sorely lacking — for example 80% of individuals whose DNA has been sequenced are Caucasian, leading to biases in medical treatment.
Through the More in Common Alliance, efforts are being made to address these issues and promote inclusivity in research to ensure better healthcare outcomes for everyone.”
Vani Nilakantan, PhD
System VP Research
CommonSpirit Health Research Institute
“The lack of diversity in clinical research can be attributed to various factors, including historical biases, systemic barriers, limited outreach to underrepresented communities, and unequal access to health care. This can lead to incomplete or biased data, impacting the generalizability of findings and potentially resulting in treatments that are less effective for certain groups."