The Importance of Diversity in Clinical Trials

CISCRP is committed to providing clear, unbiased, and culturally appropriate educational materials to engage and inform communities that have not been well represented in clinical trials.

We developed this brochure together with members of Black, Asian, Hispanic and Latino communities, as well as subject matter experts who have experience working with these communities. This included receiving feedback from 500 members of the public with these ethnic and racial background, who were of different genders and socioeconomic backgrounds, through an anonymous survey.

They all helped make sure the topics, language, images, and design are appropriate and engaging. We also received feedback on how effective our brochure was for raising awareness about the importance of diversity in clinical research participants.

This process allowed us to confirm that we are addressing the key concerns and barriers that prevent better diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical research. This brochure was also reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), which is also known as an independent ethics committee. The IRB review ensures the brochure follows ethical guidelines for providing information about clinical research to patients and the public.

Find more resources here:

• Food and Drug Administration, Clinical Trial Diversity Fact Sheet
• National Institutes of Health, Why Do Researchers Do Different Kinds of Clinical Studies?
• Harvard Catalyst, Research Participants’ Bill of Rights
• National Institutes of Health, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
• CISCRP, Important Information
• CISCRP Medical Hero stories