{"id":30446,"date":"2022-02-22T02:32:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T02:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blackhealthmatters.com\/?p=28582"},"modified":"2025-02-11T15:50:46","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T20:50:46","slug":"together-we-can-increasing-diversity-in-clinical-trials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blackhealthmatters.com\/together-we-can-increasing-diversity-in-clinical-trials\/","title":{"rendered":"Together We Can: Increasing Diversity in Clinical Trials"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

As Black History Month has drawn to a close, it\u2019s important to remember that disparities in healthcare facing Black Americans have been and remain a 24\/7 reality. The pandemic has brought inequities in care to the forefront of conversation, and as patients increasingly make their voices heard, it\u2019s more important than ever to ensure their needs and concerns are addressed. Solutions must begin where all treatments do\u2014clinical research.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, or lifestyle can cause disease to affect people in different ways. These factors may also play a role in determining if a medicine is safe and effective for use in different groups. For this reason, a diverse group of people should be represented in clinical research to help evaluate if investigational medications are safe and effective for the people that they are intended to help.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

However, many clinical trials today are made up of as much as 80% White participants, and do not include enough people of different genders, ages, races, and ethnicities. Black people and other people of color are often not represented. We know that medical care must be tailored to all who need it, or people will be left behind, and creating more inclusive clinical trials is a critical first step.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

To help address this need, in partnership with the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Black Health Matters recently held the \u201cTogether We Can: Increasing Diversity in Clinical Trials\u201d event, the first in a series of community conversations with Janssen around the importance of representation in research . The series is one of the latest activations in Janssen\u2019s Research Includes Me<\/a> campaign, spearheaded by the Janssen Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Clinical Trials (DEICT) team.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Leading the conversation was Janssen DEICT\u2019s Ramona Burress<\/a>, Associate Director, Diversity & Inclusion in Clinical Trials. She was joined by a panel of subject matter experts, including: Jaszianne Tolbert, MD<\/a>, Janssen\u2019s Senior Director, Oncology Clinical Development; Gina Lamar Evans, MPH<\/a>, Founder and CEO of NEFUSE Case Management and Training Services<\/a>; and Nabilah Talib, M.Ed.<\/a>, Director of Education & Training at YWCA Metropolitan Chicago<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The live session sought to provide\u2014and spark\u2014dialogue at the community level to show why increased diversity in clinical trials is so vital. The group\u2019s discussion addressed such questions as:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n