Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Clinical Research.
Framework:
Developed on: August 2020
Developed by: MRCT Center Diversity Workgroup
We define the term “diversity” to be broad and inclusive. At minimum, it includes:
Demographic factors such as sex, race, ethnicity, age, location, genetics etc.
Non-demographic factors such as comorbidities, organ dysfunction, concurrent medications, environmental factors, compliance. Among non-demographic factors are those that are historically, socially, and culturally determined.
Social factors, and those within the term “social determinants of health,” including education level, economic status, family size, food insecurity, etc.
The MRCT Center Diversity Workgroup has developed a set of fundamental principles that help to frame considerations of diverse representation in clinical research. While we recognize that a case-based analysis will be required for each clinical research question, we also believe that these principles will help guide those analyses.
There are practical and operational barriers that prevent routine participation of underrepresented, underserved, and diverse populations in clinical research. These must be addressed to promote change. While many challenges exist, for each section, we provide a key summary and recommendations to address appropriate representation in clinical research. Link to Resource >
