Challenging Assumptions About Minority Participation in US Clinical Research

Although extensive research addresses minorities' low participation in clinical research, most focuses almost exclusively on therapeutic trials. The existing literature might mask important issues concerning minorities' participation in clinical trials, and minorities might actually be overrepresented in phase I safety studies that require the participation of healthy volunteers. It is critical to consider the entire spectrum of clinical research when discussing the participation of disenfranchised groups; the literature on minorities' distrust, poor access, and other barriers to trial participation needs re-examination. Minority participation in clinical trials is an important topic in public health discussions because this representation touches on issues of equality and the elimination of disparities, which are core values of the field. (Am J Public Health. 2011;101: 2217-2222. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300279)