Equity in clinical trial research: What does it mean?

We know that different people may have different reactions to the same treatment based on their age, gender, weight, race, ethnicity, and other factors. Equity in clinical trials means that the participants in clinical trials represent the people who are most likely to have the health condition and need the treatment that the trial is testing. However, we realize that health disparities across communities of color have caused gaps in science and the development of lifesaving treatments for all. To create equitable clinical trial research, more work is needed on our part.

Inequality in clinical research

In the history of clinical research, people’s race and socioeconomic status were often used against them. This has led to distrust for the medical community and clinical research in many communities of color.

We cannot change history, but we can learn from its mistakes and do better. Merck has implemented programs and policies to ensure transparent research and equal access to our clinical trials.

What we’re doing about it

We try to lower health disparities by enrolling a wide range of participants in our clinical trials to make sure our vaccines and medicines work across ethnicities, races, and genders.