Thermo and National Minority Quality Forum team to make trials more diverse
Thermo Fisher Scientific has launched a new effort to improve diversity it drug research in a deal with the National Minority Quality Forum.
The agreement is designed to help bring clinical research to historically underserved patient populations through NMQF’s Alliance for Representative Clinical Trials (ARC).
ARC is a multi-sponsor public private program focused on increasing clinical research participation within communities of color and other populations that have been historically underrepresented in clinical trials.
Since 2022 the program has established clinical research sites in 11 states, including California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Thermo Fisher and NMQF will also seek to help biopharmaceutical and biotech customers meet regulatory expectations to enroll and retain patients in clinical trials who more fully reflect real-world populations experiencing the disease or health condition being studied.
These “regulatory expectations” include those issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April that called on sponsors to develop diversity actions plans during clinical trial planning.
Michel Lagarde, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said “to better serve our biopharma customers and drive greater health equity and access to potentially life-changing therapies, we are working to build clinical trials that reflect the diverse populations in society.
“The clinicians we help train with NMQF addresses the need to expand and sustain a pipeline of experienced clinical research providers, and underscores Thermo Fisher’s mission to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.”
For Salvatore Alesci, senior vice president of NMQF’s Center for Clinical and Social Research, the aim of the collaboration is to make drug research equitable.
“Diversifying clinical trials demands an enduring commitment and shared responsibility among the various stakeholders within the health care ecosystem. ARC sets the stage. ARC isn’t just a platform. It’s a catalyst set to disrupt the traditional approach to clinical research that does not reflect the increased diversity and complexity of the U.S. and global population.
“Ultimately, ARC’s aim is to bring clinical trials to communities that are historically underserved yet stand to gain enormously. Together with Thermo Fisher, we are prepared to help democratize clinical research and deliver equitable health care for all.”
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