Health Equity is a Movement, Not a Moment: The Urgent Need for Systemic Change

Health equity is more than a goal—it’s a movement. It’s about ensuring that clinical trials, medical research, and healthcare access reflect the diverse communities they serve. This issue isn’t just about fairness; it directly impacts health outcomes, treatment effectiveness, and medical trust—especially for Black and rural communities. At BlackDoctor.org’s second annual “State of Black Health: What Now Black Health” Summit, hosted in collaboration with USA TODAY, Derrick Lane, CMO of BlackDoctor.org, moderated a dynamic discussion. The panel, “Health Equity is Not One Dimensional” focused on building trust, increasing participation in clinical trials, and holding institutions accountable for driving systemic change. Meet the Panelists LaShell Robinson, Executive Director, Head of Global Feasibility & Trial Equity, Takeda Aletha Maybank, MD, Chief Health Equity Officer and Senior Vice President, AMA Amy Elizondo, Chief Strategy Officer, American Rural Health Association Key Takeaways from the Panel 1. Clinical Trials: The Foundation of Health Equity When we talk about health equity, we must start with clinical research—because if the science isn’t inclusive, the treatments won’t be either. LaShell Robinson emphasized how representation in medical research is important to potentially reducing health disparities: “When we talk about health equity, we’re usually speaking about health disparities, a broken...