Pacing obesity trial enrollment, anchoring eligibility to stable real-world therapies, and building site and physician relationships improve retention and data quality more than aggressive recruitment or restrictive exclusion criteria do.
News|Articles|May 27, 2026
The Current State of DEI in Clinical Trials: Progress, Pressure, and the Path Forward
Author(s)Andy Studna, Senior Editor
Despite political headwinds, life sciences leaders are holding their ground on DEI, but translating organizational commitment into representative enrollment requires structural changes to protocol design, site selection, and community engagement that most of the industry has yet to fully make.
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The industry has been discussing clinical trial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for decades. What is different now is the convergence of regulatory expectations, organizational accountability structures, and a political environment that is simultaneously creating pressure and hesitancy. Understanding where progress is real, where it is stalling, and what is actually working is more important than ever.
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