The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) have announced the release of the first-ever, industry-wide principles to ensure clinical trial diversity in the US.

The new principles were approved by the PhRMA Board of Directors and will take effect in April of 2021. They 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

• enhancing information about diversity and inclusion in clinical trial participation. 

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

PhRMA says that the US’s biopharmaceutical companies are committed to learning and leading forward to address systematic racism and stand up to injustice. Furthermore, it says that at the core of this effort is the need for the biopharma industry to better serve historically underserved communities, including black and brown communities.

The industry organisation highlights that 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,” said PhRMA in a statement.