Abstract IA-51: If not now, then when? Tackling barriers to clinical trials to ensure inclusion of underrepresented minorities

Abstract

The low representation of underrepresented minorities in clinical trials is well known. Unfortunately, there appears to be modest progress in the inclusion of these groups in the nearly 30 years since the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993. Racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials is imperative for ensuring that novel cancer therapies, behavioral interventions and other types of scientific advances reach and are relevant to all population segments. It will be impossible to eliminate disparities and achieve health equity without diversity and inclusion in clinical research. Many barriers exist to clinical trials and some may be exacerbated among racial/ethnic minorities. This presentation will discuss multilevel barriers to participation in clinical research, share engagement principles related to partnerships with African American/Black and Latino/Latinx populations, and provide lessons learned from institutional and investigator led-initiatives. Data sources include chart reviews, patient interviews and surveys. Selected clinical studies will be discussed along with qualitative and quantitative data. The overall goal is to identify actionable steps towards a collective path of improving minority participation in clinical trials. Strategies that optimize opportunities for system change may have greater impact than strategies that focus solely on patient and/or community attitudes or behaviors. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, public awareness about clinical trials may be at a record high. Thus, community conversations about science and the clarion call for social justice may be the energy needed for cancer scientists to collaborate and change the narrative regarding participation of underrepresented minorities in research.