Engaging Historically Underrepresented Members of the LGBTQ Community in Clinical Trials

This educational program will explore strategies to engage members of LGBTQ communities for participation in clinical trials. The discussion will focus on best practices for patient-centered engagement that can result in better clinical trial patient recruitment and retention. According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), approximately 20 million adults, or 8% of the U.S. population, identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) on the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. The LGBTQ community comprises an increasingly diverse group with unique health needs that remain underserved and understudied, resulting in health disparities. In the oncology space, LGBTQ individuals have lower rates of cancer screening, higher rates of anal and cervical cancer, and greater breast cancer mortality. Continued underrepresentation in clinical trials limits the generation of clinical data that is essential for developing effective treatments for LGBTQ patients. An analysis conducted by the American Association for Cancer Research revealed that out of 348 sexual and gender minority studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2018, less than 8% focused on cancer. Furthermore, quantifying LGBTQ representation in cancer drug trials is impeded by inconsistent data collection practices for sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) demographics. Strategies for addressing these barriers must start with engaging community members and advocacy groups to provide input on research design, cultural competency training for research staff, and research education.