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Diversity in Clinical Trials
Benefits Everyone
By Patty Martin
Vice President, Global Diversity
A
Eli Lilly and Company
As scientific technol-
ogy improves, it is becom-
ing increasingly clear that
there are differences in
patient outcomes based on
a variety of factors, such as genetics, environment, race or
ethnicity, and cultural differences. These differences contrib-
ute to the fact that medicines do not always work for the
patients to whom they are prescribed.
Compounding the problem, diverse patients are
historically underrepresented in clinical research. Trials that
over-represent Caucasians lack sufficient data on potentially
relevant patient differences. This is extremely important,
because in some cases, medicines don’t work as well or
they may work better. Side effect profiles or risks also may
be different.
At Eli Lilly and Company, we have changed our core
business processes to understand patient differences and
to include more diverse participants in our clinical trials.
More inclusive data may allow doctors to prescribe the right
medicines with more confidence, based on having represen-
tative data. It also helps to ensure consumers are prescribed
medicines that will be more likely to work for them—
personalized medicine.
Our efforts focus on matching disease prevalence to our
participant pools in clinical trials. This is important, be-
cause minorities suffer a higher incidence of certain diseases,
such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, compared to
Caucasians. We are close to accomplishing our enroll-
ment goals in diabetes and depression research, and we are
quickly implementing interventions in oncology and cardio-
vascular disease.
At Lilly, we understand we cannot accomplish our
goals alone. We have convened representatives from the
National Medical Association, the National Hispanic
Medical Association, the National Council of La Raza, and
50 Profiles in Diversit y Journal March/April 2010
the Educational Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials,
to discuss ways to attract more diverse investigators and
patients. We are establishing advisory committees, such as our
Latino Advisory Board, who we work closely with to identify
various ways to increase representation of Hispanic patients
in our clinical trials.
“
We have changed our core business
processes to understand patient
differences and to include more
diverse participants in our
”
clinical trials.
In addition, clinical research organizations contracted by
Lilly are being monitored and held accountable for achieving
the same goal. Lilly also is reaching out to underrepresented
patients in community hospitals by providing easy-to-
understand information about clinical research.
We ask others in the health care system to join us in this
journey to achieve appropriate diversity in clinical trials.
At Lilly, we want to develop medicines that improve health
outcomes for all patients. We believe improving individual
patient outcomes begins with studying the differences that
matter, and then delivering information in a way that is
meaningful to them. PDJ
Eli Lilly and Company, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is
developing a growing portfolio of pharmaceutical products by applying
the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from
collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered
in Indianapolis, Indiana, Lilly provides answers through medicines
and information for some of the world’s most urgent medical needs.
Additional information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com.