The medical community and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have reached a clear consensus on the ethical and scientific merit of enrolling participants in clinical trials who are more fully representative of the diversity of patients who will ultimately use the drug or device being studied. To support and further this critical goal, the FDA released new guidelines in 2022 with recommendations for sponsors to develop Race and Ethnicity Diversity Plans.

Despite increasing calls for clinical trial diversity over the past several years, improving enrollment of underrepresented populations into clinical trials has been a slow  process. The reality is that execution of more effective diversity recruitment initiatives requires new ways of thinking about participant recruitment, as well as additional resources that many smaller drug and device sponsors lack. 

One promising solution to this dilemma is reimagining the role of community pharmacists as liaisons for clinical trial participation.