A recent article published by Clinical Leader illustrates the importance of making information about clinical trial participation accessible to those who are currently under-represented in pharmaceutical research.
The findings concluded that understanding where minority groups are currently going to find further information is a good start to bridging the existing disparities in Clinical Research by gaining a better idea of where to target recruitment efforts. While studies show that Primary Care Providers are the first port of call for information about opportunities for participation, evidence from the above article suggests “less than 25 percent of Hispanic and Black individuals were informed of a clinical trial by their doctor or nurse.” Other avenues include online research, either through online communities or by visiting pharmaceutical trial databases to locate nearby opportunities.
Further research demonstrates that additional factors, known as ‘concierge services’ are not tailored to the socioeconomic needs of minority populations, such as lack of transportation to and from the research location, or insufficient remuneration for their involvement. In general, clinical trials are designed not necessarily with the patients’ current needs in mind, but are more focused on potential patient outcomes, most of which are not uniform across different ethnicities and cultures.
When conducting clinical trials, it is a good idea to partner with a cultural services expert from the outset. Driving diversity in clinical trials yields beneficial results for both the patient, and the healthcare system, as it paints a clearer picture of which treatments options are most likely to be effective, and adhered to, by particular groups.
how CQ fluency helps:
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion enables us to help pharmaceutical companies looking to diversify their clinical research with a suite of services focused on cultural adaptation.
CQ fluency also has a robust ISO certified clinical trial translation management offering. We understand the importance of providing clinical trial questionnaires, PROs (patient reported outcomes) and other materials in the language of any target market, in a way that makes these materials understandable, relatable and adapted to country values and culture. This facilitates the procurement of realistic data that makes sense and gives a more accurate understanding of potential patient outcomes.
looking to conduct trials that yield the best results through cultural accuracy?
Learn more about how we can support Clinical Research.