The importance of good clinical trials has been particularly visible to the public with the emergence of COVID-19 and the work undertaken to research and develop vaccines and therapeutics. Devastatingly, the pandemic has also laid bare the inequalities in health outcomes among different communities in our society. Although vaccines and therapeutics are generally intended for use across society, the diversity of trial participant groups in clinical and population level studies does not always reflect society well. This lack of appropriate representation can lead to differences in real-world health benefits and outcomes arising from the application of clinical trials results. Equitable research design should ensure that therapeutic benefit can be more accurately predicted for likely treatment groups. There is work to be done across many stages of the research and development process, to reach a fully equitable system of access, engagement in, and benefit from, clinical research. To better understand and tackle inequalities of the research system, we must address participant diversity in clinical research, and how barriers to this can be overcome.

This event will focus on clinical trials and population studies. We will explore how addressing inequity in clinical research design can benefit public health and wellbeing. An expert panel will cover innovative initiatives, research funding incentives and policies that support equitable research design. We aim to highlight some thinking, information and contacts relevant to clinical health researchers, policymakers (especially those working in research institutes and for research funders) and others who utilise clinical trials results, to support actions promoting health equality across communities in our society, through improvements in this specific area of research design.