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Race and ethnicity do not impact eligibility for remdesivir: A single-center experience
Lauren Pischel1,2,3, Makeda Walelo4, Jemma Benson5
1Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Abstract:
As the Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues, multiple therapies are rapidly being evaluated for efficacy in clinical trials. Clinical trials should be racially and ethnically representative of the population that will eventually benefit from these medications. There are multiple potential barriers to racial and ethnic minority enrollment in clinical trials, one of which could be that inclusion and exclusion criteria select for certain racial or ethnic groups disproportionately. In this observational cohort study at a single health care system, we examined if there were differences in eligibility for treatment with remdesivir based on clinical trial criteria for racial and ethnic minorities compared to non-Hispanic Whites. 201 electronic medical record charts were reviewed manually. Self-identified Whites were older than other racial or ethnic groups. At the time of presentation, Black, Latinx, and White participants met inclusion criteria for remdesivir at similar rates (72%, 80%, and 73% respectively), and exclusion criteria at similar rates (43%, 38% and 49% for Black, Latinx and White participants respectively). In this study, there was no difference in eligibility for remdesivir based on race or ethnicity alone.
Insights
Racial and ethnic minorities were equally eligible for remdesivir clinical trials compared to non-Hispanic Whites. This study found no significant disparities in remdesivir eligibility based on race or ethnicity alone.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Trials
- Health Equity
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Clinical trials are crucial for evaluating COVID-19 therapies.
- Representative enrollment across racial and ethnic groups is essential for equitable treatment access.
- Potential barriers, including trial eligibility criteria, may affect minority participation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if clinical trial eligibility criteria for remdesivir disproportionately exclude racial and ethnic minorities.
- To compare remdesivir eligibility rates between minority groups and non-Hispanic Whites.
Main Methods:
- Observational cohort study at a single healthcare system.
- Manual review of 201 electronic medical record charts.
- Analysis of inclusion and exclusion criteria for remdesivir treatment.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in meeting inclusion criteria for remdesivir were observed among Black (72%), Latinx (80%), and White (73%) participants.
- Similarly, exclusion criteria were met at comparable rates across racial and ethnic groups (Black 43%, Latinx 38%, White 49%).
- Age differed, with White participants being older on average.
Conclusions:
- Race or ethnicity alone did not appear to be a barrier to remdesivir eligibility in this healthcare system.
- Further research is needed to explore other potential barriers to clinical trial participation for minority populations.
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