As key players in the oncology community, industry and clinicians have the power to make tangible progress on key aspects on disparities, according to panelists at Survivornet’s 2022 Close the Gap conference. 

Addressing Disparities in Cancer: What Industry and Clinicians Can Do to Collaborate Effectively

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August 1, 2022

 

 

As key players in the oncology community, industry and clinicians have the power to make tangible progress on key aspects on disparities, according to panelists at Survivornet’s 2022 Close the Gap conference. 

Because there are higher mortality rates for Black and Latino demographics, and because lower participation in clinical trials can seem so intractable, there’s a sense, sometimes, that very little can be done. 

Dr. Tania Small, Richard Fahrer, Dr. Elaine Shum, and Karima Sharif talk about why that isn’t true. Small steps can be taken everyday to accomplish large-scale things.

Dr. Tania Small, Vice President, Global Medical Oncology Head, and Head of R&D Inclusion Diversity Council at GSK, talks big picture. What is the goal?

“What are the goals of clinical trials and then what are we doing in order to make sure everyone gets access?” Dr. Small asked. “Part of the research and development is to make sure that every patient equally benefits from scientific advancement… to impact and improve their lives. That has to start with ensuring that the participants on our clinical trial actually represent the disease.”

Demographics are underrepresented as a result of neglecting mindsets and resources that would expand representation.

Pfizer’s Oncology Marketing Director for Patient Solutions, Richard Fahrer, spoke about trying to separately target recruits for these trials from different ethnic backgrounds. Considering every ethnicity and “developing content with them in mind, as opposed to just creating one size fits all… shotgun blasting that approach across the stratosphere, and hoping it works for everybody. ‘Cause we know that’s not the case,” Fahrer said.

More so than anything, panelists agreed that a central focus on closing the gap when it comes to cancer should be about accessibility. NYU Langone’s Dr. Elaine Shum says that, “I think a lot of it does begin with access to clinical trials and education about the trials… I think industry is one area that definitely can help us in terms of increasing the awareness about trials to encourage more enrollment, because it is so important that we get a bigger picture of how a drug might work in not just a white population.”

Don’t see all patients as equal – acknowledge what can put someone at a disadvantage. Consider disparities and distribute personalized outreach to those in need of representation in clinical trials.

Karima Sharif, who heads inclusive investments and partnerships at Publicis Health Media, echoed doctors’ messages on awareness, but from an marketing standpoint: “From a media perspective, we’re thinking about the distribution. If we know that we want to activate within the communities, then we’re working with our clients.”

Access, practical thinking, and considering a wider scope of patients in trials will help fix the issue of exclusion within test runs.

Watch the full conference here.