Only 11% of all clinical trial participants are Hispanic, 8% are African Americans, and 6% are Asian. One of the main reasons clinical trial participation is low among minority communities is generational mistrust. So, how can sponsors reach underserved populations and alleviate their fears? There are many ways to build trust and authentic connection with underserved communities. One example is elevating minority patient voices through video, which is exactly what we did on a recent project for Merck & Co. that won two dotCOMM Gold Awards for Healthcare Video and Video Series.
For this project, Jumo Health partnered with the I Choose Life Foundation (ICLF) to identify former clinical trial participants from diverse backgrounds willing to share their stories. In addition to the individual stories, we facilitated a roundtable discussion with the participants, creating a supportive and comfortable atmosphere which led to candid and insightful conversations.
In total, Jumo Health developed three individual patient videos and one video of the moderated roundtable, creating versatile content vignettes to leverage across multiple platforms and social media channels. The videos were study-agnostic, allowing Merck to use them for multiple studies and corporate initiatives.
In light of the recent FDA guidance on diversity action plans in clinical trials, requiring more diverse participants to be included, initiatives like this are critical to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) recruitment efforts. By allowing minority participants to see themselves represented in clinical trials, this video series has helped Merck build credibility and trust amongst these communities in advance of their upcoming clinical trials.
As a result of the authentic representation and wide-reaching impact of this initiative, the video series secured two dotCOMM Gold Awards for Healthcare Video and Video Series. This honor recognizes the ambitious vision of the Merck clinical trial team, the extraordinary talent of the Jumo Health production team, and most importantly the inspiring bravery of the patients who shared their stories with the world.
Below is a compilation video showing some clips from all the videos:
Interested in hearing more? Register for our upcoming webinar “Why Authenticity and Patient Voice Are Critical When Driving Clinical Trial Diversity”. During the free webinar, you’ll gain insights from a five-person panel as they share their perspective on the importance of sharing diverse patient stories and activating local community leaders to help rebuild trust ahead of a clinical trial. The panelists include Tony Wafford, President and CEO of the ICLF; LaToya Bolds-Johnson, a patient advocate and former clinical trial participant; Gwenn Oakes, Director, Global Trial Optimization at Merck & Co.; and Michele Falk, Clinical Trial Recruitment Specialist at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS).
You can register for the webinar here.
Jumo Health develops age-appropriate, culturally relevant, and relatable educational resources for patients and caregivers. We have experience serving diverse populations, covering more than 160 health topics across 80+ countries in 120+ languages. Our various digital, video, and print offerings use highly visual elements and research-backed health literacy strategies to ensure that everyone can understand and act upon complex medical information. We do this through familiar mediums – from comic books and animation, to virtual reality experiences and authentic documentary-style patient stories – all customized based on audience. Jumo Health collaborates globally with more than 180 advocacy groups and community organizations to promote access and to ensure unique patient experiences are accurately represented.
