New report makes recommendations to improve health equity through more inclusive clinical trials
19 May 2023
The Health Policy Partnership has published a new report outlining how to ensure clinical trials are more equitable, diverse and inclusive. The report draws lessons from clinical trials in metastatic breast cancer, and was developed in collaboration with an expert steering committee that included patient advocates from the metastatic breast cancer community.
Research shows there are serious inequities in where clinical trials take place and who is able to participate. Given that clinical trials represent an important avenue to new, effective treatments, widening access is a fundamental step in tackling inequities in health outcomes.
For a condition such as metastatic breast cancer, for which there are currently limited effective treatments and no curative treatments, clinical trials can provide essential opportunities to develop, and provide access to, new therapies. But trials that are not adequately diverse or inclusive can limit our understanding of how interventions affect people with different characteristics, potentially resulting in the inappropriate design or delivery of future treatment plans.
Inclusion by design: building equity in clinical trials through the lens of metastatic breast cancer showcases examples of good practice and outlines 16 clear and actionable recommendations that regulators, trials sponsors, and those designing and conducting clinical trials can take to deliver more equitable trials. The benefits extend beyond the potential participants, representing an opportunity to contribute to improved health outcomes for all.
