FDA Guidance Provides New Details on Diversity Action Plans Required for Certain Clinical Studies

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-guidance-provides-new-details-diversity-action-plans-required-certain-clinical-studies?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a draft guidance, “Diversity Action Plans to Improve Enrollment of Participants from Underrepresented Populations in Clinical Studies,” to assist medical product sponsors in submitting Diversity Action Plans to support certain clinical studies. Diversity Action Plans are intended to increase clinical study enrollment of participants of historically underrepresented populations to help improve the data the agency receives about the patients who may potentially use the medical product. Enhancing diversity within clinical studies not only facilitates broader applicability of results across a broad spectrum of patient populations, but also enhances understanding of the disease or medical product under study, thus providing valuable insights to inform the safe and effective use of the medical product among patients. “Participants in clinical trials should be representative of the patients who will use the medical products,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “The agency’s draft guidance is an important step—and one of many ongoing efforts—to address the participation of underrepresented populations in clinical trials to help improve the data we have about patients who will use the medical products if approved.”