Before I became a Cardiology fellow, I was an Internal Medicine resident with a primary care panel in South side Chicago. One cornerstone of my practice was screening for lung cancer, and in my three short years, many of my favorite patients were diagnosed with lung cancer. Lung cancer remains the #1 cancer killer among Americans, with Black Americans consistently having worse outcomes. While the last decade has seen incredible advancements in available therapies, Black Americans are still underrepresented in clinical trials (making up only 3.1% of participants.)
Recruiting a diverse set of research participants (by age, ethnicity, race, gender, etc) is important, because different therapies affect patients in different ways. Thus, representation in these trials leads to better, more fine-tuned therapies, better awareness of side effect profiles, and more information for clinicians to provide future patients. In addition, enrolling gives patients access to new, cutting edge treatments.
Click the link in my profile to learn more about the American Lung Association Association (@lungassociation) and clinical trials.
Would you be willing to participate in clinical research? Why or why not?