COVID-19 highlights why we must commit to breaking down barriers to patient diversity in research

Media headlines are full of hope for potential vaccines and treatments to target SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19, writes Kate Shaw, the chief executive of UK-based clinical trials patient recruitment company Innovative Trials, in an Expert View.

There are almost 200 vaccine candidates currently in development and research is reported to be progressing well. Deals have already been agreed between some pharmaceutical companies and the UK government to supply stocks of potential medicines.

These are certainly reasons to be optimistic, but in this race for effective treatments and vaccines, one issue remains the metaphorical elephant in the room: patient diversity. Or,
more appropriately, the lack of it.