Research has shown that genetic factors, including race, greatly influence disease propensity and an individual’s response to treatment. Despite this, genetic differences are not adequately taken into account in clinical research. Although a number of commonly studied diseases are prevalent among many populations, ethnic and racial minority groups in the United States continue to be under-represented in clinical research.
Several factors are responsible for the low enrollment of minorities in U.S. clinical trials. Among the most important factors are an insufficient number of minority investigators, language barriers, and cultural perceptions. While many pharmaceutical companies are making an effort to include minority groups - by employing more ethnically and racially diverse clinical investigators and hiring more health care providers with access to minority populations- there is a continued disparity in minority participation compared to other populations in the United States.
In case you missed our article in the November 2009 issue of GCPj entitled "The Missing Minorities" please take this opportunity Read now