Diabetes Pro Quarterly - Spring 2022 - 12

Living with Diabetes: Ask the Experts Q&A Series
Encourage your patients to join our free, educational Ask the Experts Q&A series. We offer
an opportunity for people with diabetes to ask questions of our experts and hear from others
who might share similar experiences. Participants can join the hour-long sessions online or by
phone. All events will be held at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Upcoming topics include:
* May 24: Diabetes Eye Disease: What in the World Is Happening?
* September 27: Ethnic Groups: Does Race Matter in Diabetes Eye Disease?
Both of these programs feature diabetes eye health expert Sherrol A. Reynolds, OD, FAAO, an associate professor of
optometry and director of the retina clinic at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Your patients can register at diabetes.org/experts or by phone at (800)-342-2383.
Encourage your patients to listen in to Ask the Experts: It's Personal, a
Q&A podcast series featuring real questions from people with diabetes
and answers from our experts. We'll cover practical tips on topics such as
nutrition, medication management, and physical activity.
Find the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Advocacy News
Diversity in Clinical Trials: Why It's Important
By Shanta Whitaker, PhD, Senior Policy Director
Clinical trials are essential for validating the safety and
efficacy of new medicines and medical products used
to manage/treat disease. Although Americans of color
are nearly twice as likely to have diabetes and related
chronic diseases as Whites, there is inadequate
diversity in clinical trials to test drugs that people with
diabetes need. As a result of this systemic inequity,
the United States has failed to holistically translate
impressive scientific advances into equitable health
improvements for all people living with diabetes.
Increasing diversity in clinical trials is a complex
issue; improvement is needed at both the patient and
provider/researcher levels. At the patient level, barriers
to participation must be removed. In many cases,
clinical trials occur at academic health systems, and
people must have transportation to and from the
trial site, be able to take time away from their jobs
to participate, have health insurance, and be aware
that there are studies for which they are eligible. Even
when minority communities have a research hospital
nearby, their members may not qualify for studies.
Many trials exclude people with diabetes because
they might negatively affect the results.
12 DiabetesPro Quarterly | SPRING 2022
On the provider/researcher level, there is
underrepresentation of minority researchers and staff
conducting clinical trials. Research centers would do
well to increase diversity in their ranks, as patients
are more likely to participate in clinical trials when
providers/researchers are of their race/ethnicity.
To begin dismantling practices that have hindered
diversity in past clinical trials, policies that enhance
diversity and equity must be developed and
implemented to ensure that all people living with
diabetes have access to groundbreaking treatment
to manage their diabetes.
To further explore barriers to participation in and
solutions to diversity of clinical trials, the American
Diabetes Association (ADA) recently held a
roundtable discussion with key stakeholders. The
ultimate goal of this initiative is to develop policy
recommendations to ensure that all people living
with diabetes can participate in clinical trials without
fear or hinderance.
Learn more about the ADA's health equity initiatives
at Health Equity Now.

http://diabetes.org/experts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-the-experts-its-personal/id1470140434 https://open.spotify.com/show/4EPnhwrd7w0KrCFrClwtLp https://www.diabetes.org/healthequitynow

Diabetes Pro Quarterly - Spring 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Diabetes Pro Quarterly - Spring 2022