In The Politics of Autism, I discuss research priorities.
From the National Council on Disability:
Today, the National Council on Disability (NCD) released a timely report on exclusionary practices that prevent people with disabilities from participating in clinical trials.
The Implicit and Explicit Exclusion of People with Disabilities in Clinical Trials discusses how healthcare practitioners’ internal biases and federal policies contribute to the participation rates, and how the disparity affects people with disabilities and the efficacy of clinical trials.
Federal agencies have made efforts to address exclusionary practices pertaining to people with disabilities, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ explicit requirements of clinical trials inclusion in the amended Section 504 regulations. However, much work remains to ensure that people with disabilities are meaningfully included in clinical trials.
“A significant step forward was made last September when the NIH finally recognized individuals with disabilities as a health disparities population,” said NCD Chair Claudia Gordon.
“Building upon this progress, our report underscores the alarming reality that people with disabilities are systematically excluded from crucial clinical trials,” said Gordon. “To effectively address health disparities, HHS must prioritize this issue as a connected policy matter across the entire department.”
