A Black Hematologist Shares How We Can Improve Outcomes For Blood Cancer Patients

Blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, disproportionately affect Black Americans. According to Dr. Ruemu Birhiray, a hematology-oncologist at American Oncology Partners in Indianapolis, Black people make up about 14 percent of the U.S. population but account for 20 percent of multiple myeloma patients. Despite this higher risk, only around 5 percent of clinical trial participants are Black Americans. This lack of representation in clinical trials can have significant consequences for the Black community. BDO’s clinical trial editor, Taylyn Washington-Harmon hosted Dr. Birhiray for a live discussion on what needs to be changed. The Need for Diverse Representation Genetic and biological differences across races can influence how individuals respond to medications. A safe and effective drug in one population may not have the same results in another. By failing to include diverse populations in clinical trials, researchers may miss crucial data on how a particular treatment works in different ethnic groups. “If we do not participate in clinical research and people like us are not evaluated, what will happen is that we really do not know that a particular drug either is safe or works in people like us,” explains Dr. Birhiray. Without this critical information, doctors may...