Racial And Ethnic Diversity In Clinical Trials: A Social And Scientific Imperative

On average, 20% of drugs approved each year have different response rates depending on a patient’s race or ethnicity. Enrolling a diverse patient population in clinical trials allows industry to identify differences in efficacy and safety across different sub-populations which in turn facilitates the delivery of effective drugs for all, Pfizer Inc.’s head of clinical trial experience Judy Sewards told In Vivo.

A spokesperson from Bristol Myers Squibb Company concurred and told In Vivo that “diversity in clinical trials is both a social and scientific imperative.” However, while almost 40%...