The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) will hold a free, virtual forum from 6-7 p.m. MDT on October 21 to discuss ways to increase participation by marginalized communities in research on treatments, vaccines, devices, and therapeutic drugs.
Decades of distrust and misinformation about clinical research and its role in the development of treatments has resulted in little participation by marginalized communities, CISCRP said. Today, participation by Hispanic communities in clinical trials is less than 1% nationally.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate effect on communities of racial and ethnic minorities has made things worse. The forum will focus on ways to reduce health disparities and increase demographic diversity in clinical trials.
The virtual event will bring together a consortium of health educators, health experts, and trial participants, CISCRP said. It is open to the public and tailored for people in the Southwest region, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Texas.
