Participation in clinical trials in the United States is much lower than many clinicians would hope. However, this issue is more complicated than patients simply choosing not to participate. Often, there can be barriers to clinical trials that are felt more acutely by patients in minority and other groups like the elderly where comorbidities can be a disincentive to their inclusion.

Clinical trials that lack diversity can lead to ethical, as well as efficacy, issues, however. In an interview with Oncology Nursing News, Jennifer A. Wenzel, PhD, RN, CCM, FAAN, associate professor at Johns Hopkins University Schools of Nursing and of Medicine, explains what some of these barriers can look like, why diversity in trials is important, and how nurses can help encourage patients in minority populations to enroll in clinical trials.
.
Oncology Nursing News: What are some barriers to clinical trials that minority patients can experience?
Wenzel: There are certainly some barriers that affect a lot of people, issues like transportation or concern about income and perhaps the issue of being uninsured or underinsured. These are issues that cut across groups and, as with many things when we look at health disparities, they may impact minority populations more than other groups.
.

Read the rest of this discussion piece