University Study Finds Racial Bias in Selection of Patients for Cancer Clinical Trials

A new study by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham finds that there may be racial bias in selecting participants for cancer clinical trials. Researchers interviewed researchers, administrators, and staff at five medical centers in the United States.

The results showed that:

1) Recruitment interactions with potential minority participants were perceived to be challenging;

2) Potential minority participants were not perceived to be ideal study candidates;

3) A combination of clinic‐level barriers and negative perceptions of minority study participants led to providers withholding clinical trial opportunities from potential minority participants.

Examples of the stereotypes discovered in the interviews included perceptions that African Americans were less knowledgeable about cancer research studies, less likely to participate out of altruism or simply less likely to complete all facets of the research study.

Raegan Durant, the senior author of the study and an associate professor in the Division of Preventive Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, stated that “once we acknowledge the potential presence of this bias in this context, we can better identify it, measure it and begin to think about how best to address it. As with most phenomena in science, we have to come to terms with its existence so that it can be studied in an empiric fashion.”

Dr. Durant is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C. He holds a master of public health degree from Harvard University and a medical doctorate from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

The full study, “Bias and Stereotyping Among Research and Clinical Professionals: Perspectives on Minority Recruitment for Oncology Clinical Trials,” was published on the website of the journal Cancer, a publication of the American Cancer Society. It may be accessed here.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Graduate Enrollment Surges at Winston-Salem State University

In fall 2024, Winston-Salem State University enrolled 244 new graduate students, an increase of 31.2 percent from the prior year. The HBCU now enrolls nearly 600 graduate students.

Two Black Women College Presidents Announce Their Retirements

Gilda Barbino, president of Olin College of Engineering, and Soraya Coley, president of Cal Poly, Pomona, have announced their plans to retire at the end of this academic year. Both Dr. Barbino and Dr. Coley are the first woman presidents of their institutions.

Norfolk State University to Construct a $118 Million STEM Facility

As part of an ongoing $90 million fundraising campaign, Norfolk State University has announced plans to establish a 131,000-square-foot STEM building to advance its research capabilities and science academic programming.

Two Black Men Selected for Academic Appointments at Universities

The faculty members with new appointments are Christopher Small at Florida State University and Dwight McBride at Washington University in St. Louis.

Featured Jobs