Q&A: Pharma’s trial diversity goals may not answer health equity problems

Iyer discusses how the push for clinical trial diversity and health equity coming from regulatory agencies has impacted pharmaceutical companies and their R&D processes. She highlights the ripple effect of the US FDA's requirement for more inclusive clinical trials but argues that global equity remains a challenge due to diverse regional regulators, concluding that 'Companies are becoming more inclusive but struggle to achieve a global reach.'

She outlines steps sponsors should take to ensure their clinical trial design is applicable to all patient populations, emphasising the importance of clear policies, high ethical standards, and post-trial access for all populations. Trust in the trial design and the industry as a whole is crucial.

Iyer also shares her thoughts on decentralised clinical trials (DCTs), cautioning against a one-size-fits-all approach. She emphasises that pharmaceutical companies need to have proper oversight and respect for different communities' acceptance of trials.

She argues for more action to achieve health equity, and references the 2022 Access to Medicine Index, which found that only six out of 20 companies in the scope are embedding early access planning into their overall work.