Closing the Gap: Broadening Representation in Clinical Trials

While the FDA has spent the past few decades promoting diversity in clinical trial patient populations, certain groups still remain underrepresented. Data shows that Black and Hispanic populations are consistently overlooked, even though the U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2050, 42 percent of American older adults will be members of minority groups. As these populations continue to grow, it only further stresses the need for representation through all phases of research. Black patients account for 12 percent of new breast cancer cases in the United States but constituted only three percent of the participants in the breast cancer clinical trials that led to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals between 2008–2018.

Aside from the obvious moral and ethical concerns over the lack of patient diversity, sponsor companies would greatly benefit from addressing underserved populations. Racial diversity in clinical trials enables the ability to conduct subgroup analyses based on drug metabolism and biomarker differences that will identify differences in biology, efficacy and tolerability between different racial groups of patients.

Trials can be conducted faster – resulting in sponsor cost reductions, increased trial participation rates, and ultimately produce more reliable safety and efficacy data. Yet while it is the goal of biotech and pharmaceutical companies to get their new drug or therapy to the market as quickly (and safely) as possible, it is a shared responsibility between sponsor companies, regulators, researchers, and clinical development partners to address the longstanding racial and ethnic disparities present in clinical research.

Register for this webinar on Thursday, September 30, at 11am EDT to hear Synteract’s Scott Treiber, Vice President, Strategic Development, and Ricki Fairley, CEO, TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, explore this topic in our upcoming webinar, Closing the Gap: Broadening Representation in Clinical Trials.

Speakers

Scott Treiber, PhD, MBA, Vice President, Strategic Development, Synteract

Dr. Treiber is a CRO industry veteran with 28 years of clinical development experience. Most recently, Dr. Treiber was Chief Operating Officer at Elligo Health Research. Before that, he was Executive Vice President, Biopharmaceutical Development and GM at Chiltern. Dr. Treiber began his career as a Clinical Research Assistant at a large CRO. Since that time, 23 of his 28 years in the industry have been at CROs. He has also worked at Hospira and Elligo Health Research, gaining valuable pharma and site network experience, respectively.

Dr. Treiber has expertise in clinical operations, clinical development, medical affairs, data management/statistics, pharmacovigilance/safety and quality. He has broad therapeutic expertise in neuroscience, oncology, hematology, pain, cardiovascular, gastroenterology, respiratory and women’s health.

Dr. Treiber has a BA in biology from the University of Iowa, a PhD in neuroscience from the University of California Santa Cruz and an MBA from New York Institute of Technology.

Message Presenter

Ricki Fairley, Chief Executive Officer, TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance

As a Stage 3A Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor/Thriver, Ricki’s personal purpose, passion, mission, ministry and blessing is to bring focus, attention, research and action to eradicating Black Breast Cancer, and supporting and coaching what she calls her “Breasties” through their breast cancer experience.

Ricki is an award-winning seasoned marketing veteran who has transformed her strategic acumen into breast cancer advocacy. Ricki co-founded and serves as CEO of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance to address Black Breast Cancer as a unique and special disease state, with the overall goal of reducing the mortality rate for Black women. Ricki founded and serves as co-host for “The Doctor Is In,” a weekly live web series on the BlackDoctor.org Facebook page that reaches over 2 million viewers. She is a founding member of #BlackDataMatters, in partnership with Breastcancer.org, Ciitizen, The Center for Health Care Innovation, Morehouse School of Medicine and Susan G. Komen Foundation to encourage and elevate the importance of Black Women participating in clinical trial research. In partnership with The Breasties, she founded Breast Cancer United, a global movement garnering the collective strength of over 60 leading breast cancer organizations around the world.

Ricki serves on the Board of Trustees for the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation where she spearheads the Marketing Committee and directs multicultural outreach. She is a board member for the Center for Healthcare Innovation, a non-profit research and educational institute making healthcare more equitable. She also serves as an Ambassador and Advisor for the Live Humanly Campaign and works with pharmaceutical companies to provide the patient advocate voice for breast cancer awareness, action, therapy/drug development and advocacy. She writes regularly for the Black press including BlackDoctor.org, Black Health Matters and The Cincinnati Herald.  Ricki, with her mom, two daughters and granddaughter are the “poster” family for the Komen 3 Day 60 Mile Walk advertising campaign. They walk 60 miles annually in San Diego.

Message Presenter