FDA’s Califf Calls for Greater Focus on Clinical Trial Diversity

Clinical trial diversity must be a more prominent priority among health research administrators, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said Wednesday as the agency readies updated guidance on the topic.

The Food and Drug Administration is preparing a manuscript of the agency’s thinking on how to improve diversity in clinical trials, Califf said at the Milken Institute’s Future of Health summit.

Ensuring studies are representative of the population likely to benefit from a new drug or medical product has been a key priority during Califf’s tenure. Lawmakers and health policy advocates have also ramped up calls to include provisions mandating trial ...