BOSTON, MA, September 27, 2021 – The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging the public and patients as partners in the clinical research process, announced today its AWARE for All – Southwest Forum. This is a free virtual event that is open to the public and will be held Thursday, October 21st from 6-7pm MDT. The forum is tailored for the Southwest region, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Texas via a secure online platform.
In an effort to reduce health disparities and increase demographic diversity in clinical trials, the forum brings together a unique consortium of health educators, health experts, and trial participants who will share the benefits, research and urgent need in the development of treatments in healthcare. To register for the October 21st Southwest event visit: https://www.ciscrp.org/event/aware-for-all-southwest-virtual-event/.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the disproportionate impacts to communities of racial and ethnic minorities, combined with decades of distrust and misinformation about clinical research and its role in the development of treatments and healthcare, has raised the urgency to broaden outreach to reach more participants in clinical trials. The AWARE for All forum aims to increase participation by historically marginalized communities that have long been absent from research on treatments, vaccines, devices, and therapeutic drugs.
“Today, participation by Hispanic communities in clinical trials is less than one percent nationally. Our goal is to increase the participation of patients of Hispanic heritage nationally in clinical trials to find new cures and innovative strategies in treatment. That’s why collaboration, outreach, and participation in the October event to learn more is so vitally important,” said Lisa Treviño, PhD, Vice President, DHR Health Institute for Research and Development.
AWARE for All – Southwest is supported by local research teams, advocacy groups, and a consortium of biopharmaceutical and service provider companies. The program will answer key questions about the clinical trials process, what to expect as a study volunteer, and the benefits and risks of participation. The panel discussion will be moderated by Ken Getz, founder and board chair at CISCRP and includes perspectives from clinical trial participants and healthcare professionals featuring:
- Charlene Upshaw, Breast Cancer clinical trial participant, La Porte, Texas
- Carmen White, Director, Multi-Cultural Participant Experience Lead, Pfizer
- Lisa Treviño, PhD, Vice President, DHR Health Institute for Research and Development
- Al-Malik Edwards, Recruitment Specialist, Excell Research
- Becky Johnson, Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion in Clinical Trials, IQVIA
The AWARE for All event series has been crucial in driving attention to clinical research via locally common conditions and therapeutic areas, with a goal of reaching a diverse population to advance research and quality of care. It is the fourth of five AWARE for All programs running nationally in 2021.
“We believe that clinical trials are extremely important for moving science and medicine forward, and that they cannot be done without the dedication and commitment of the research participants. This is why it is so important that people interested in participating in a trial know that they have rights as participants and that clinical trials are always voluntary, because we could not do our work without their help,” said Michelle Stocker, Clinical Trial Research and Communications Professional, University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center.
As part of the virtual event, an informational exhibit will feature over 30 organizations sharing resources, a Health & Wellness pavilion, and a theater with short educational videos about clinical trials. Exhibitors include: Pfizer, Biogen, Janssen, Otsuka, IQVIA, CSL Behring, EMD Serono, WCG, Novartis, and Genentech. Visitors can connect with Southwestern and national advocacy organizations such as Alzheimer’s LA, The Chrysalis Initiative, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, BreastCancerTrials.org, and many more.
“Without clinical trials, we continue to lag behind in solutions for rare diseases like sickle cell and other diseases. We are grateful to CISCRP for hosting free programs like this to educate our community about clinical studies and their importance. Clinical studies are vital to advance research and quality of care, and we are excited to be a part of the Southwest program,” said Gina Glass, Executive Director Dreamsickle Kids Foundation, SCDAA Nevada Chapter.
To access recorded webinars and Informational Exhibit Centers, including AWARE for All events in 2021 visit www.awareforall.org.
About CISCRP
The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to engaging the public and patients as partners in the clinical research process. CISCRP provides free education and outreach to the general public and patient communities. Visit www.CISCRP.org for more information or to participate in CISCRP’s educational initiatives. For additional questions about AWARE for All, contact awareforall@ciscrp.org or call 877-633-4376.
