Clinical Trials
To develop lifesaving medicines for all, we have to start by doing research for all.
We know that different people may have different reactions to the same treatment based on their age, gender, weight, race, ethnicity, and other factors. Equity in clinical trials means that the participants in clinical trials represent the people who are most likely to have the health condition and need the treatment that the trial is testing. However, we realize that health disparities across communities of color have caused gaps in science and the development of lifesaving treatments for all. To create equitable clinical trial research, more work is needed on our part.
In the history of clinical research, people’s race and socioeconomic status were often used against them. This has led to distrust for the medical community and clinical research in many communities of color.
We cannot change history, but we can learn from its mistakes and do better. Merck has implemented programs and policies to ensure transparent research and equal access to our clinical trials.
We try to lower health disparities by enrolling a wide range of participants in our clinical trials to make sure our vaccines and medicines work across ethnicities, races, and genders.
We strive to partner with trial sites that closely reflect our diverse patient population.
We seek out community-based organizations in our trial site areas to help us build trust and broaden community participation in our research.
We provide training for research teams to use educational materials that resonate with and inform specific patient populations.
We are committed to enrolling diverse people in our clinical trials around the world, such as:
Our enrollment in clinical trials continues to evolve so that we achieve the right balance of participants to help us safely bring new medicines to all people.
We conduct our clinical trials in more than 50 countries to ensure our medicines and vaccines meet the needs of people across the world.
Discover the personal stories of people who participated in clinical trials. Former clinical trial participants discuss why they decided to join a research study and why their decision was deeply personal. They emphasize the importance of diverse participation in research.
