“I don’t think it’s a conscious decision,” he said, later continuing, “We see lots of issues in terms of just outreach to communities and awareness of clinical trials, both in the community but actually also within physicians.”
Munaza Jamil, a professor at McMaster University and medical researcher, adds that additional barriers for marginalized communities perpetuate the cycle of exclusion in clinical trials, further worsening the diversity found in today’s clinical trials.
“These (barriers) could be financial, geographic, language barriers, cultural barriers, logistical barriers that typically prevent those who are more vulnerable, those who are marginalized, to access and participate in clinical trials in an equitable way,” she said.
The barriers to equitable inclusion in clinical trials
Systemically speaking, visible minorities and those in more vulnerable populations often get the short end of the stick in many regards. However, when it comes to clinical trials, the barriers in place can cause significant harm to these groups when it’s their time to seek out medications or medical interventions for acute or chronic diseases.
Those in lower socioeconomic groups find it more challenging to learn about or participate in clinical trials simply because they are less affluent than others in the general population. After all, costs can be a significant factor in determining clinical trial participation, and those who make less money are often not afforded the same level of care.