Racial and ethnic diversity in global neuroscience clinical trials

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience clinical trials
• Clinical trial diversity
• Health equity

Background:

• Racial and ethnic minority groups remain underrepresented in neuroscience trials despite diversity efforts.
• This underrepresentation may lead to reduced generalizability of findings and missed efficacy or safety differences.
• Unequal opportunities for participation could be a contributing factor to these disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and summarize the racial and ethnic distributions of participants in global neuroscience clinical trials.
• To compare trial demographics with national population data to identify underrepresentation or overrepresentation.
• To highlight the need for improved diversity in clinical research.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of a global F. Hoffmann-La Roche database of neuroscience clinical trials (February 2016 - February 2021).
• Stratification of race and ethnicity data by therapeutic area and country.
• Comparison of trial participant demographics with national population data for the US, Canada, and UK.

Main Results:

• Analysis included 8015 participants from 47 countries; 85.6% were White, 7.1% Asian, 1.6% Black.
• Black individuals were underrepresented in nearly all trials, while White individuals predominated.
• In the US, Hispanic/Latino representation (7.3%) was lower than the general population (16.4%).

Conclusions:

• Findings underscore the persistent underrepresentation of minority groups in neuroscience research.
• There is a critical need for increased awareness and innovative approaches in clinical study design.
• Future studies must prioritize designs that better reflect overall population diversity.