Advertisement

The importance of diversity in clinical trials for hepatitis C

The importance of diversity in clinical trials for hepatitis C
Aja McCutchen, MD, does a deep dive into why hepatitis C seems to disproportionately affect Black people. She explains the importance of diversity in clinical trials due to genetic, metabolic, social, economic, and cultural factors.
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:02
Duration 2:39
Loaded: 24.87%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 2:37
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected

    Updated on October 23, 2024

    Diversity is important in clinical trials due to genetic, metabolic, social, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to disease outcomes.

    close transcript modal

    Transcript

    00:00
    Hey, Dr. McCutchen. Hepatitis C seems to disproportionately affect Black people. Why is that?
    00:06
    That's actually a really great question. Let's take a deeper dive. [MUSIC PLAYING]
    00:19
    Clinical trials help medical professionals find safe and effective treatments for people with certain diseases.
    00:26
    Participants in these trials should accurately represent the population of those most affected by whatever
    00:32
    the disease is being studied. Meaning if a certain gender, age, or ethnicity group
    00:38
    is disproportionately affected by a certain disease, then a clinical trial should accurately represent that population in order
    00:46
    to obtain the most accurate data. For example, hepatitis C disproportionately affects African-Americans in the United States.
    00:54
    You think that this would mean that in clinical trials for hepatitis C treatments a majority of the participants
    01:01
    would be African-American. However, that is not the case. The FDA has recommended racial and ethnic data
    01:08
    be collected for all clinical trials, but it's not a requirement. A recent study of hepatitis C clinical trials
    01:14
    that did report race found that only about 13% of participants were African-American. If reporting race data becomes a requirement,
    01:23
    appropriate measures can be taken to make sure those who need to participate in the trials the most are represented.
    01:30
    Race is important in clinical trials due to the genetic, metabolic, social, economic, and cultural factors that
    01:36
    contribute to disease outcomes. Treatment isn't one-size fits all, and without this data, it can make treating certain populations more
    01:44
    difficult and less accurate. Factors that can contribute to lack of diversity in clinical trials are the lack of insurance,
    01:53
    which would exclude people from participating in certain clinical trials, limited flexibility at work
    01:59
    to participate, trial sites are not easily accessible, and the lack of awareness and information
    02:05
    about the clinical trials. Recruiting people for clinical trials may be difficult when reaching out to certain communities. African-Americans may be hesitant to participate
    02:13
    in clinical trials due to the systemic racism that still plagues our country. It is important to rebuild trust in minority communities
    02:21
    so that they can be properly cared for. Diversity in clinical trials means that new drugs and treatments can be more safe and effective

    Featured Content

    video

    My story: my hepatitis C journey as a Black American

    Pat, a hepatitis c survivor, shares her thoughts on disparity within the healthcare system.
    article

    Why hepatitis C is called a "quiet killer"

    Most people with hepatitis C have no symptoms until the disease has caused serious liver damage. Here’s what you need to know about hep C diagnosis.
    video

    How blood transfusions for sickle cell may have impacted hepatitis C rates among Black Americans

    In the past, donated blood was not screened for hepatitis C, and this could have negatively impacted transfusions for sickle cell anemia.
    article

    Who is at risk for hepatitis C?

    Learn who has higher odds of contracting this viral infection.