Problem Statement

There is a lack of diverse principal investigators leading medical device clinical studies, which impedes the inclusion of representative patient populations from the communities they are trying to serve. This lack of representation hinders the development of scientific evidence to support the effectiveness and safety of these technologies and therapeutics in minority patient populations

In today’s America, Black, Indigenous, (and) People Of Color (BIPOC) continue to have markedly worse health outcomes than white patients. The differences are greatest for Black Americans. Compared to White patients, they are two to three times as likely to die of preventable heart disease and stroke. They also have higher rates of cancer, asthma, influenza, pneumonia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and homicide. For many of them, structural racism and unequal treatment remain a contributing factor to disease and death. 

In order to affect change and improve long term health outcomes in Black and Brown Americans, significant improvements in patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance is needed.  Across the U.S.,  white doctors make up 56% of the physician workforce, with Asian doctors at 17%. Just under 6% are Hispanic doctors. Only 5% are black doctors.*

This is why it is critical that those that lead clinical trials, especially medical device trials, should be a part of our community; live where we live, understand how we live, and share our backgrounds. This reference tool helps identify diverse principal investigators and provides support for those investigators.

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* Figure 18. percentage of all active physicians by Race/ethnicity, 2018. AAMC. (2019, July 1).