Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and others are significantly underrepresented in clinical research in the U.S. According to U.S. Census data, black or African Americans represent 13.4% of the U.S. population, yet the FDA reports that those populations make up only 5% of clinical trial participants. The disparity is even greater for those of Hispanic or Latino origin. They represent 18.1% of the U.S. population but only 1% of clinical trial participants. Diverse segments of the population can react differently to medicines, so it’s imperative that sponsors, CROs and sites find ways to enroll
and retain a broad spectrum of individuals in research.