Catherine Longworth
3 min read
Despite major policy rollbacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the US federal level, clinical research leaders have made it clear: inclusive research remains a top priority.
Just days into his presidency, Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at dismantling DEI initiatives across the US government, with implications for private sector programs as well. However, the commitment to equitable clinical trial enrollment continues to evolve across the research sector.
At the Outsourcing in Clinical Trials East Coast 2025 conference in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, panelists were asked how trial sponsors and researchers can sustain momentum for inclusive enrollment amid the scaling back of formal DEI mandates.
For Kathleen Cohen, Vice President of Clinical Development Operations at Avalo Therapeutics, the answer lies in adapting without abandoning the mission. “The spirit of what you want to do can still be represented in the organisation you have,” said Cohen. “You can stay on course without using the same dialogue.”
This means continuing to build trust with underrepresented populations and designing studies that reflect the realities of the communities they aim to serve—even if the language around DEI changes.
Panelists shared a range of strategies being used to support diversity in trial participation, with an emphasis on accessibility, and grassroots engagement. “Find champions and trusted people in the community you want to reach,” advised Lucas Goren, a senior project manager at the Center for Information & Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP).
“Find out who are the pillars of that community and engage with them—they can drive participation and engender trust.” A central tenant of community collaboration is true partnership through reciprocal, enduring relationships, rather than drop-in, ad hoc enrollment farming.
Lay-friendly materials were also highlighted as a vital tool. Goren stressed the need to work with subject matter experts – especially community members - to continuously update and simplify clinical trial language for patients, using plain language definitions and clearly explained study concepts.
Translation was recommended as a key focus and using not just experts, but also members of the target community to review translated content. “You need a second, third, even fourth pair of eyes,” said Goren, underscoring the need for cultural nuance and local context.
Cohen added that materials should be customised to the population a study aims to reach—not only in text but also in visuals.
