WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 17, 2020) – Today, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) announced first-ever, industry-wide principles on clinical trial diversity. The principles focus on four main areas: building trust and acknowledging the historic mistrust of clinical trials within Black and Brown communities, reducing barriers to clinical trial access, using real-world data to enhance information on diverse populations beyond product approval and enhancing information about diversity and inclusion in clinical trial participation. These principles were approved by the PhRMA Board of Directors and will take effect in April of 2021.

“The industry’s new clinical trial diversity principles are an important step toward greater health equity,” said Stephen J. Ubl, president and chief executive officer of PhRMA. “We are addressing issues of mistrust and working to reduce systemic issues that deter communities of color from participating in clinical trials, so that those patients who want to participate, can.” 

America’s biopharmaceutical companies are committed to learning and leading forward to address systematic racism and stand up to injustice. At the core of this effort is the need for our industry to better serve historically underserved communities, including Black and Brown communities.

Critical to health equity for these communities is clinical trial diversity that better reflects intended treatment populations for different medicines and therapeutics. With the voluntary adoption of these industry-wide principles by PhRMA member companies, we are pledging to work on addressing the systemic issues that deter people from participating in clinical trials.

To view the principles, please visit: https://www.phrma.org/en/Codes-and-guidelines/PhRMA-Principles-on-Conduct-of-Clinical-Trials

For additional information and to follow our progress please visit: PhRMA.org/Equity. 

About PhRMA

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested nearly $1 trillion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $83 billion in 2019 alone.

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