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- CAP and Almost 90 Groups Ask Congress to Increase Diversity in Clinical Trials
The CAP, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and almost 90 other medical and health care professional organizations asked Congress to diversify medical clinical trials by including diversity as part of 2022 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prescription drug user fee reauthorization legislation. The CAP has urged Congress to pass this and other legislation that addresses social determinants of health in the United States.
In the May 12 letter, the CAP and others urged Congress to improve clinical trial diversity since it is essential for both patient health care access and comprehensive scientific research.
In the letter, the groups outlined how the majority of clinical trials fail overwhelmingly to achieve diverse enrollment - despite the fact that many serious and chronic diseases disproportionately impact underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups. “This lack of diversity in trial enrollment inhibits a full understanding of how safe and effective new drugs might be across their intended populations,” the letter stated. “We urge Congress to make real and meaningful reforms that will help ensure patients in every part of the country have access to the clinical trial care they need, while at the same time accelerating the development of new and better treatment options for patients for decades to come.”
- Promote sponsor accountability for enrollment diversity
- Reduce travel burden for trial participants Improve outreach to underserved patients and providers
- Minimize financial barriers