Ensuring Inclusion

The NIH wants to make sure that new vaccines and treatments work for everyone — not just for some.

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The Importance of Inclusion in Clinical Trials

two photos stacked: top - a masked woman and man sit and talk together as the man completes a form on a clipboard; bottom - a masked doctor and her masked patient look together at a chart

The Importance of Inclusion in Clinical Trials

Participants in any clinical trial should represent the patients who will use the drug or vaccine being tested. But issues of mistrust, along with other barriers to participation, have deterred people from communities of color from volunteering. This mistrust is understandable, given historical mistreatment and exclusion of research participants who are members of these groups.

NIH is committed to removing barriers and making sure African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities take part in COVID-19 vaccine trials because it is essential for the development of vaccines and treatments that are safe and effective for these communities.

two photos stacked: top - a masked woman and man sit and talk together as the man completes a form on a clipboard; bottom - a masked doctor and her masked patient look together at a chart

Health Equity and the COVID-19 Pandemic

two photos stacked: top - an adult family hugs and smiles; bottom - a family wearing masks are separated by a glass window and hold their hands up to the glass

Health Equity and the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the United States, COVID-19 has struck racially and ethnically diverse communities particularly hard. African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and American Indians/Alaska Natives are around four times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than are white people. 1

The inclusion of people from these hard-hit communities of color is critical to making sure that vaccines and other treatments developed to combat COVID-19 are safe and effective for the people who need them most.

Resources

Inclusion Resources You Can Share

Fact Sheet
COVID-19 Contact Tracing

A fact sheet about contact tracing and how it can stop the spread of COVID-19

  • PublisherCenter for American Indian Health at Johns Hopkins University (CAIH)
  • LanguageEnglish
  • File TypePDF
  • File Size100KB
View Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet
Face Masks and COVID-19: What Community Members Need to Know

A fact sheet about using face masks, including instructions on how to make your own non-sewn cloth mask

  • PublisherCenter for American Indian Health at Johns Hopkins University (CAIH)
  • LanguageEnglish
  • File TypePDF
  • File Size460KB
View Fact Sheet
Handout
Minorities in Clinical Trials

Fact sheet from the FDA’s Office of Minority Health about the importance of minority participation.

  • PublisherU.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Minority Health (FDA)
  • LanguageEnglish
  • File TypePDF
  • File Size3.6M
View Handout
Video
Shirley's Story: Diversity is Critical to Making Better Medical Products

Video from the FDA on the importance of diversity when developing medical products.

  • PublisherU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • LanguageEnglish
  • Length00:24
View Video
Video
Why Should I Join a Clinical Trial

Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers explains the importance of participating in the Coronavirus Prevention Network clinical trial and encourages the public to consider joining.

  • PublisherNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  • LanguageEnglish
  • Length01:52
View Video
Video
Women Advancing Research Through Clinical Trials

Video from NHLBI on encouraging women, including minority women, to participate in research trials.

  • PublisherNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
  • LanguageEnglish
  • Length03:36
View Video
Website
Library of COVID-19 Content for Tribal Communities

All CAIH materials about how to stop the spread of COVID-19 are available for tribes in this online resource library.

  • PublisherCenter for American Indian Health at Johns Hopkins University (CAIH)
  • LanguageEnglish
View Web Page
Website
Why Testing Is Key to Getting Back to Normal

Blog post by NIH leaders about the importance of participation in COVID-19 testing.

  • PublisherNational Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • LanguageEnglish
View Web Page
Video
Los Latinos Pueden Hacer la Diferencia en los Estudios Clínicos

La FDA está lanzando una serie de videos educativos y materiales para aumentar la concientización sobre la importancia de la participación de los latinos y otras minorías en los ensayos clínicos.

  • EditorU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • IdiomaEspañol
  • Duración01:01
Ver video
Sitio Web
Las minorías en los estudios clínicos

Hoja informativa de la Oficina de Salud de las Minorías y Equidad en la Salud sobre las minorías en los estudios clínicos.

  • EditorU.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Minority Health (FDA)
  • IdiomaEspañol
Ver página web
Sitio Web
Videos Sobre la Investigación Clínica

Conozca cómo los estudios clínicos de NIH están cambiando las vidas a través de estas historias personales de los participantes e investigadores.

  • EditorNational Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • IdiomaEspañol
Ver página web

Social Media Messages

Share these social media resources to encourage the spread of accurate information about COVID-19. Copy and paste into your feed.

NIH is supporting clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine candidates to identify vaccines that are safe, effective, and work for the people who need it most. To conquer COVID-19, participation from every community is critical. Learn how your participation in clinical research can make a difference: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

Researchers have been working to develop a COVID-19 vaccine that is safe, effective, and works for the people who need it most. In order to do that, participation from all communities is critical. Learn how your participation in a clinical trial can make a difference and #ConquerCOVID19: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

NIH is supporting clinical trials to develop a #COVID19 vaccine that is safe, effective, & works for the people who need it most. To #ConquerCOVID19, participation from every community is critical. Learn more: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

Researchers have been working to develop a #COVID19 vaccine that is safe, effective, & works for people who need it most. To do that, participation from all communities is critical. Learn how participation in a clinical trial can help #ConquerCOVID19: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

Participants in any clinical trial should represent all the people who may use the drug or vaccine being tested. This ensures the vaccine is safe and effective for everyone that needs it. Historically, people of color have been underrepresented in clinical research. But your participation can make a difference in the effort to conquer COVID-19: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

Inclusion of Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American communities in COVID-19 vaccine trials is essential for the development of vaccines that are safe and effective for these hard-hit communities. Find helpful strategies to ensure representation from diverse communities: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

NIH-funded clinical trials are underway to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. To have a vaccine that works for all Americans, these trials must include participation of diverse communities across the country. Learn how your participation can make a difference: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb #ConquerCOVID19

Inclusion of Black, Hispanic/Latino, & Native American communities in #COVID19 research is needed in order to develop vaccines & treatments that work for everyone. Trials should be as diverse as the people at risk for the disease: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

NIH-funded clinical trials are underway to develop a #COVID19 vaccine. To do so, these trials must include participation of diverse communities across the country. Learn how your participation can make a difference: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb #ConquerCOVID

Coronavirus can affect anyone, regardless of their race or ethnicity. However, data show that rates of COVID-19 are disproportionately high among African Americans. Learn how COVID-19 affects African Americans and what researchers are doing to help: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

Data show that COVID-19 impacts Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American populations at much higher rates. By including people from these groups in clinical research on COVID-19, researchers can ensure that the resulting vaccines and treatments will work for the people in highest need: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

COVID-19 can affect anyone, regardless of their race or ethnicity. However, data show that #COVID19 impacts African Americans much more. Learn how #COVID19 affects African Americans and what researchers are doing to help #ConquerCOVID19: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

Data show that #COVID19 impacts Black, Hispanic/Latino, & Native American populations at much higher rates. By including these groups in #ClinicalResearch, researchers can ensure the resulting vaccines and treatments will work for the people in highest need: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb

Interested in helping your community fight COVID-19? Find resources about vaccines under development, how they are developed, and the importance of representation in research studies: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb #ConquerCOVID19

Trying to help communities impacted by COVID-19? Share resources about vaccines under development, how they are developed, & the importance of being included in research studies: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb #ConquerCOVID19

Looking for ways to talk to your community about COVID-19? Share resources about vaccines under development, how they are developed, and, the importance of being included in research studies: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb #BestShot

Looking to help your community fight #COVID19? Find resources about vaccines under development, how they are developed, & the importance of being included in research studies: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb #ConquerCOVID19

Trying to help communities impacted by #COVID19? Share resources about vaccines under development, how they are developed, & the importance of being included in research studies: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb #ConquerCOVID19

Looking to talk to your community about #COVID19? Share resources about vaccines under development, how they are developed, & the importance of being included in research studies: https://go.usa.gov/xfShb #ConquerCOVID19

Watch @TiffanyHaddish talk with #NIH’s @NIAIDNews Dr. Anthony Fauci on how #COVID19 is affecting the African American community & the importance of minority representation in research. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FZXfgT_IRg&feature=youtu.be

Can immune supplements help protect against #COVID19? Will a future vaccine be safe? How can the medical community build trust with African Americans? @TiffanyHaddish has questions. Watch her discussion with Dr. Anthony Fauci: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FZXfgT_IRg&feature=youtu.be 

Check out this conversation between @TiffanyHaddish & Dr. Anthony Fauci on why minority communities are getting hit with a #COVID19 “double whammy” – higher rates of infection & higher rates of severe illness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FZXfgT_IRg&feature=youtu.be

Los NIH están apoyando ensayos clínicos para candidatos a vacunas contra COVID-19 para identificar vacunas que sean seguras, efectivas y que funcionen para las personas que más las necesitan. Para combatir el COVID-19, la participación de todas las comunidades es fundamental. Descubra cómo su participación en la investigación clínica puede hacer la diferencia: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol

Los NIH están apoyando ensayos clínicos para crear una vacuna contra el #COVID19 que sea segura, efectiva y funcione para las personas que más la necesitan. Para combatir el COVID19, la participación de todos es fundamental. Más información: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol

Los participantes en cualquier ensayo clínico deben representar a todas las personas que puedan usar el medicamento o la vacuna que se está probando. Esto asegura que la vacuna sea segura y eficaz para todos los que la necesiten. Históricamente, las personas de minorías raciales y étnicas no han tenido suficiente representación en la investigación clínica. Pero su participación puede marcar la diferencia en el esfuerzo por combatir al COVID-19: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol

La inclusión de comunidades hispanas/latinas en los ensayos para la vacuna contra el COVID-19 es esencial para desarrollar vacunas que sean seguras y efectivas para estas comunidades que han sido muy afectadas. Encuentre estrategias útiles para asegurar la representación de diversas comunidades: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol

Es necesaria la inclusión de las comunidades hispanas/latinas en la investigación del #COVID19 para desarrollar vacunas y tratamientos que funcionen para todos. Los ensayos deben ser tan diversos como las personas en riesgo de contraer la enfermedad: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol

Los datos muestran que las tasas de COVID-19 son mucho más altas en las poblaciones negras, hispanas/latinas y nativas americanas. Al incluir a personas de estos grupos en la investigación clínica sobre COVID-19, los investigadores pueden asegurar que las vacunas y tratamientos que se desarrollan funcionarán para las personas con mayor necesidad: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol

La población hispana/latina tienen una de las tasas más altas de #COVID19. Al incluir hispanos/latinos en ensayos clínicos, los investigadores pueden asegurar que las vacunas y los tratamientos que desarrollan funcionarán para las personas más afectadas: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol

¿Está interesado en ayudar a su comunidad a combatir el COVID-19? Encuentre recursos sobre las vacunas en desarrollo, cómo se desarrollan y la importancia de tener representación de personas de diversas razas y etnias en los estudios de investigación: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol #ConquerCOVID19

¿Busca formas de hablar con miembros de su comunidad sobre el COVID-19? Comparta recursos sobre vacunas en desarrollo, cómo se crean y la importancia de ser incluido en estudios de investigación: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol

¿Quiere ayudar a su comunidad a luchar contra el #COVID19? Encuentre recursos sobre las vacunas en desarrollo, cómo se crean y la importancia de ser incluido en los estudios de investigación: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol #ConquerCOVID19

¿Quiere hablar con miembros de su comunidad sobre el #COVID19? Comparta recursos sobre las vacunas en desarrollo, cómo se desarrollan y la importancia de ser incluido en los estudios de investigación: https://covid19community.nih.gov/espanol #ConquerCOVID19

Social Media Images

To download an image and save the file to your computer, click on the link for the social media platform you'd like to use.

Image of an older African American woman holding a baby. That reads: "When my community was hurting, I did this one thing. I volunteered for research to put an end to COVID-19. I did something that made a difference."
Image of an African American man holding a child. That reads: "When my community was hurting, I did this one thing. I volunteered for research to put an end to COVID-19. I did something that made a difference."
Image of a younger African American woman that reads: "Your representation matters. Will you volunteer? Join a COVID-19 clinical trial to help ensure vaccines and treatments help protect each of us."
Image of an Older Adult African American man that reads: "Your representation matters. Will you volunteer? Join a COVID-19 clinical trial to help ensure vaccines and treatments help protect each of us."

1. COVIDView: A Weekly Surveillance Summary of U.S. COVID-19 Activity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, November 20, 2020. Accessed November 23, 2020.