Higher Minority Representation in Clinical Trials Needed

1. Higher Minority Representation in
Clinical Trials Needed
By: SP Investment Fund

2. Higher Minority Representation in Clinical Trials
Needed
SP Investment Fund invests in affordable housing for families, seniors, and disabled persons with
low and very low incomes. SP also invests in emerging health sciences companies, such as Coral
Genomics.

3. Higher Minority Representation in Clinical Trials
Needed
Coral Genomics is a company that improves drug development and deployment by using genomic
data from culturally diverse patients to test drug responses. By evaluating drug responses among
different segments of the population, Coral Genomics can find ways to reduce response variability,
leading to improved healthcare outcomes.

4. Higher Minority Representation in Clinical Trials
Needed
Response variability, or differences in how individual groups respond to the same drug, are a
significant problem in healthcare. One of the causes of response variability is the lack of minority
representation in clinical trials. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as of 2016,
minorities comprised less than 10 percent of subjects in clinical trials. Without minority participation
in clinical trials, it is hard for pharmaceutical companies to design relevant treatments and
therapies for these populations.

5. Higher Minority Representation in Clinical Trials
Needed
One of the main reasons minorities do not participate in clinical trials is trust. Historical research
abuses and mistrust of healthcare institutions are at the core of minorities’ negative views of
clinical trials.

6. Higher Minority Representation in Clinical Trials
Needed
Thankfully, various healthcare institutions and professionals are working to build minorities’ trust in
clinical trials. Efforts currently being made include availing culturally-appropriate reading materials
to minorities on clinical trials, communicating openly with them on the importance of their
participation, and having minority trial coordinators enrolling them for trials and guiding them
through the entire process.