135. Narratives in Cardiology: Underrepresentation in Clinical Trials & Guidelines with Dr. Clyde Yancy – Illinois Chapter

Cardionerds: A Cardiology Podcast

CardioNerds (Amit Goyal and Daniel Ambinder), Dr. Victoria Thomas (Cardionerds Ambassador, Vanderbilt University Medical Center), and Dr. Quentin Youmans, cardiology fellow at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, join Dr. Clyde Yancy, Vice Dean for Diversity and Inclusion and Chief of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine at Northwestern for an important discussion about underrepresentation in clinical trials and guidelines. This episode was recorded during a live event hosted by the ACC Illinois Chapter. Listen in to hear why diversity matters in clinical trials, how we can recruit more minorities in representation in CV trials and so much more! Stay tuned for a message by chapter Governor, Dr. Annabelle Volgman. The PA-ACC & CardioNerds Narratives in Cardiology is a multimedia educational series jointly developed by the Pennsylvania Chapter ACC, the ACC Fellows in Training Section, and the CardioNerds Platform with the goal to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in cardiology. In this series, we host inspiring faculty and fellows from various ACC chapters to discuss their areas of expertise and their individual narratives. Join us for these captivating conversations as we celebrate our differences and share our joy for practicing cardiovascular medicine. We thank our project mentors Dr. Katie Berlacher and Dr. Nosheen Reza. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, Dr. Gurleen Kaur. Video Version • Notes • References • Production Team Claim free CME just for enjoying this episode! There are no relevant disclosures for this episode. The PA-ACC & CardioNerds Narratives in Cardiology PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Video version https://youtu.be/5gGqWysdCT0 Show notes 1. Why does diversity matter in clinical trials? Having clinical trial enrollment being representative of the general population in which we practice is essential for the generalizability of the trial results.Representative populations matter so we can say to patients, “yes, there were patients that think like you and look like you in the trial.” We can confidently tell them how patients within the trial have done. This is important when we are trying to narrow health disparities to provide confidence and comfort to our patients.Advocacy for health equity is important but not enough. We need data or evidence to support why a change in our behaviors and clinical practice is needed. An evidence base that reflects and includes all our patients is key to bridging health disparities.In medicine, the case for diversity also includes to better serve diverse patients, to promote health equity, to provide diverse mentors at all levels, to bring different points of view to debates and problem solving, to better engage our communities, and to include investigators with a broad range of perspectives in their scholarly activities. (1) 2. How do we recruit more minorities in representation in cardiovascular trials? We need more advocates for diversity in trials in the room when the conversations about trial designs are being made. This is why diversity of leadership is important.There needs to be an intentional approach for every clinical trial to recruit people that are likely to be candidates for enrollment.Stop asking patients to come “downtown” but instead go to their town or their communities. Meet them where they are.Always make sure you are providing some additional advantage or opportunity for the patients you have recruited into your trials. Don’t make it a one-way street. Allow patients to feel that they are getting the best care and generate trust with them.To gain trust, try to get a sense of what is happening in your patient’s life. Find 2-3 minutes to ask them to give a mini biography of their lives.