Key takeaways:
None of the eligible trials received a “good” diversity rating for race and ethnicity.
Access-related barriers and low clinical awareness contribute to limited trial participation.
Diverse patient groups are notably absent in systemic lupus erythematosus clinical trials whereas white patients are overrepresented, according to a study published in Arthritis Care & Research .
Black, Asian and Latino populations are among high-risk populations for SLE, according to the researchers. Poor representation of these groups in clinical trials is often tied to access barriers, which can lead to a worsened quality of life and higher mortality rates , they added.
“On the surface, there are practical and logistical barriers that prevent many people from even participating in cl