Alzheimer’s drug trials plagued by lack of racial diversity
Alzheimer’s drug trials plagued by lack of racial diversity
Alzheimer’s drug trials lack diversity
Black and Hispanic people are up to twice as likely as white people to develop Alzheimer’s disease, yet they made up no more than 20% of participants in trials for new monoclonal antibody drugs against the disease. This under-representation is partly because the trials selected participants with high levels of Alzheimer’s-associated proteins in the brain — in people of colour, these levels tend to be lower. The lack of diversity is both an equity and a scientific problem, researchers say. There are concerns over the safety and efficacy of the drugs in diverse populations, and questions as to whether these trials fully address the causes of dementia.
Nature | 6 min read
Alzheimer’s drug trials plagued by lack of racial diversity
Alzheimer’s drug trials lack diversity
Black and Hispanic people are up to twice as likely as white people to develop Alzheimer’s disease, yet they made up no more than 20% of participants in trials for new monoclonal antibody drugs against the disease. This under-representation is partly because the trials selected participants with high levels of Alzheimer’s-associated proteins in the brain — in people of colour, these levels tend to be lower. The lack of diversity is both an equity and a scientific problem, researchers say. There are concerns over the safety and efficacy of the drugs in diverse populations, and questions as to whether these trials fully address the causes of dementia.
Nature | 6 min read