(2) The ability to translate medical findings from
research to practice relies largely on having robust and
diverse patient participation in cancer clinical trials.
(3) A low participation rate or a homogenous participant
group prevents segments of the population from benefiting
from advances achieved through clinical research, creates
uncertainties over the applicability of research findings and
has proven to develop lifesaving drugs that work for some
ethnic populations but not others.
(4) Conversely, some drug trials are canceled because
they do not show promise for the current homogenous study
population of patients but could be beneficial to other
ethnicities who are not receiving the trial drug because of
poor participation rates.
(5) Diverse patient participation in cancer clinical
trials depends, in part, on whether a participant can afford
ancillary medical and other costs, including transportation
for clinical visits required by trial participation, which
are not covered by standard of care, or lodging during the
course of his or her participation. A national study in 2015
found that patient households making less than $50,000
annually were almost 30% less likely to participate in
clinical trials.
(6) Another barrier to cancer clinical trial
participation is the cost of travel, lodging and other
expenses for a patient's travel companion, including a family
member, friend, health care provider or chaperones that
attend cancer clinical trial treatments to provide emotional,
physical and mental support to the trial participant. Some
trial participants are too old, too young or too ill to
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