Astellas Commitment to Diversity | Astellas Clinical Trials

At Astellas, we know that diversity in clinical trials is essential for advancing healthcare and making sure everyone benefits from medical innovations. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

To do this, we are committed to:

Engage Diverse Populations

Actively seek to include people from different racial, ethnic, gender, age and socioeconomic backgrounds in our clinical trials to make sure the results apply to all

Implement Inclusive Practices

Design our clinical trials to be accessible, culturally sensitive, and supportive to make participation easier

Work with Communities

Partner with community groups, healthcare providers and patient advocacy organizations to raise awareness about clinical trials, address barriers to participation, and build trust with patients and caregivers

Educate and Train Staff

Train our teams on the importance of diversity and equip them with the tools to engage and include everyone effectively

Advocate for Change

Join industry-wide efforts to remove barriers and make it easier to take part in clinical trials

By committing to these principles, we aim to enhance the quality and relevance of our clinical research, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for everyone.

The importance of diversity in clinical trials

Looking back through the history of clinical research, women, people of different racial and ethnic groups, and older adults were underrepresented. Sometimes, these groups were left out completely.

However, diseases, health conditions and treatments affect patient populations differently. For example:

Gastric (stomach) cancer occurs more often in Black, Asian and Latino populations than in Caucasians (white people)

Prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men, affects more Black men than those of any other racial or ethnic group.

Sjögren’s Syndrome is more common in women than in men

An older patient’s body may process medications differently than a younger patient’s body

Today, researchers know that it is important to include diverse groups of people in clinical trials. This includes different genders, races, ethnicities, and age groups. This inclusive approach helps researchers understand how diseases affect different people and how they respond to treatment.

To develop treatments that are safe and effective for everyone, diversity must be a priority in clinical trials.

Understanding barriers to participation

In the past, there were cases of misconduct and human rights violations in clinical research throughout the world. These led to new laws and ethical guidelines to protect people in clinical trials. Today, there are protections in place to make sure that all clinical trial participants are treated ethically. However, many people still have concerns about clinical research and joining clinical trials. Although recent studies show that people from underrepresented communities are willing to join, often they do not get the information and access they need.

Additional efforts to improve diversity in clinical trials

There are other important measures being taken to increase diversity and ensure scientifically representative clinical research. These include:

1990

Mid 1990s

National Institutes of Health (NIH) requirement that clinical trials include racial and ethnic minorities, women and individuals of all ages

Mid 2010-2020 to Present

Study sponsors voluntarily providing data to help the FDA track the participation rates of females, males, children, the elderly, and different underrepresented groups

Est 2021

United Kingdom’s NHS Race and Health Observatory initiative that investigates and addresses race inequality in medicine

Early 2000s to Present

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and guidance to ensure diverse inclusion in clinical trials

2020 to Present

Industry-wide initiatives, such as PhRMA’s Equity Initiative in the United States

Present Time

Additional Resources

Resource

Learn more about PhRMA’s industry initiatives to enhance diversity in clinical trials

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Resource

Learn more about diversity in a clinical trials topics from the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP).

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