Clinical trials are touted as the best way to test and develop new treatments for cancer and other diseases but the lack of diversity in these trials troubles doctors like Dr. Diana English, a gynecologic oncologist at Stanford. Dr. English tells Survivornet the fact that minorities are under represented is actually affecting scientific research. “The study of the genetic differences is is being hampered,” she says. “And it’s really affecting our scientific knowledge…And it will affect our population for generations to come.” The Food and Drug Administration has also called for more diversity in clinical trials, saying that it’s essential.
Dr. English says doctors and research facilities need to work with communities to provide access, and even funding, to ensure that different races and ethnicities are better represented in clinical trials.
Read More