4 Black Health Care Experts Weigh In on the Latest FDA Draft Guidance

BlackDoctor.org brought together a panel of esteemed Black health care experts to discuss the FDA’s new draft guidance to increase minority participation in clinical trials. The conversation covered the significance of diverse representation in medical research, strategies to improve inclusivity, and the role of healthcare providers in encouraging trial participation. BDO’s executive editor, Jade Curtis, moderated the discussion. Regarding the FDA’s new guidance Dr. Tania Small, Senior Vice President and Head of Medical Affairs at Bristol Myers Squibb commented: “This is critical. It’s really important. [The guidance] may not be the final step. It may not be all that we want, but it is the beginning of us pushing health care systems to make sure that our research is inclusive and holding us accountable.” Dr. Small also emphasized the critical importance of diversity in clinical trials: “If you think about clinical trials, what’s the whole purpose? We have innovative technology and medicines that we need to make sure are safe and effective so that they can get approved and used and continue to move health care forward, so we can treat diseases that we couldn’t treat before.” The panelists discussed various barriers to diverse participation, including lack of trust, limited...