White patients more likely to join clinical trials, get transplant
Black, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic and others under-represented
Age1-75+
Number of Participants946
Research GoalIncrease Access
Barriers to access prevent patients with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds from getting blood or marrow transplantation (BMT). Experimental treatments, called clinical trials, are offered to patients to test new therapies or approaches with the goal of improving outcomes. However, fewer people from diverse backgrounds than white people are enrolled on clinical trials.
Blood cancers, sickle cell disease, and other problems can be cured by BMT. Older age and sex did not seem to affect access to BMT. But people with these racial and ethnic backgrounds had less access to BMT:
Blood cancers, sickle cell disease, and other problems can be cured by BMT. Older age and sex did not seem to affect access to BMT. But people with these racial and ethnic backgrounds had less access to BMT:
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Hispanic or Latino
- Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
- More than one race
Also, fewer diverse patients than white patients enrolled on clinical trials. When one thinks about all the people with diseases that can be cured by BMT, people from diverse backgrounds are less likely to get a BMT, less likely to be treated at a medical center offering trials in BMT and less likely to join a clinical trial, even if available.
Some people with diverse ancestry face inequities, such as:
- Financial challenges
- Less education
- Poor health insurance coverage
- Lengthy travel from patient’s home to special medical center
- No one available to care for patient after transplant
- Lack of suitable BMT donors
What’s next
Since 2022, BMT CTN has included more patients with diverse heritage in clinical trials and has developed programs to educate people about trials and to decrease barriers to participation. BMT CTN also partners with patients to design trials, in the BMT CTN Patient and Caregiver Advocacy Committee.
Learn more about
• NMDP Patient Support Center at NMDP.org
• Info for patients and caregivers at BMTCTN.net
• Clinical trials for blood disorders at CTsearchsupport.org
• More study summaries at CIBMTR.org
• Info for patients and caregivers at BMTCTN.net
• Clinical trials for blood disorders at CTsearchsupport.org
• More study summaries at CIBMTR.org