It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Friday, August 09, 2024
New guidelines to address racism in bioethics
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
image:
Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, PhD, is professor of medical humanities at Columbia University and President of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors.
New York, NY — August 7, 2024 — Columbia University’s Division of Ethics Chief Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, PhD, is lead author of a new target article in The American Journal of Bioethics, titled "Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Bioethics: Recommendations from the Association of Bioethics Program Directors Presidential Task Force." This pivotal work responds to urgent calls for addressing racism within bioethics, highlighting the field's historical neglect in centering racial justice.
As President of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors (APBD), Dr. Lee led the APBD Presidential Task Force on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI), which collaborated on the landmark article.The REDI Task Force represents ABPD Directors and bioethics scholars from a range of disciplines and fields and career stages, across twelve institutions in North America.
The article, based on the work of the REDI Task Force over two years, emphasizes the need for anti-racist practices within academic bioethics programs. It outlines specific recommendations to advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion, urging bioethics organizations to integrate these principles into their scholarship, pedagogy, advocacy, and practice.
Dr. Lee stated: "This article is a crucial step toward rectifying the historical neglect of racial justice in bioethics. It provides actionable recommendations to foster a more inclusive and equitable field."
Key Recommendations:
● Encourage research that reflects diverse values and worldviews, focusing on REDI.
● Develop sustainable funding sources that support REDI scholarship and the development of underrepresented scholars.
● Embed REDI into the canon of bioethics education programs and education across various health fields.
● Develop mentorship and leadership succession plans that center REDI scholars and values.
● Establish a more equitable distribution of REDI service work among faculty and more equal valuation of faculty salaries.
● Embed REDI into how bioethicists provide policy, advisory, and consulting services.
● Build equitable partnerships with marginalized communities historically impacted by racism.
● Ensure policies and plans reflect REDI goals that encourage accountability and discrete timelines.
● Develop tools to assess and measure the progress of REDI goals.
The full article is published open access and available to read for free online in The American Journal of Bioethics. To read the full article, visit this link.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Prof. Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, please contact David Lamb at dl3580@cumc.columbia.edu.
###
About the Columbia University Division of Ethics
Columbia University’s Division of Ethics is a multidisciplinary unit that focuses on conceptual, empirical, and policy-related bioethics research that addresses emerging challenges in biomedical research and health care. Research topics include gene sequencing and genetic testing, machine learning and medical decision-making, big data and the learning health system, and access to and equity of care. For more information about the Division of Ethics at Columbia University, please visit the Division website.
Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Bioethics: Recommendations from the Association of Bioethics Program Directors Presidential Task Force
Article Publication Date
5-Aug-2024
National Academies progress report: Health disparities
Reducing diversity gaps in clinical trials is a societal imperative, according to UC Irvine professor
University of California - Irvine
Irvine, Calif., Aug. 7, 2024 — From costing society an estimated $11 trillion to hindering new discoveries in medicine and preventing access to effective interventions, underrepresentation of women, older adults and minorities in clinical research has several significant consequences, according to recent analyses commissioned by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Jonathan Watanabe, UC Irvine professor of clinical pharmacy practice and director of the campus’s Center for Data-Driven Drugs Research and Policy, recently provided expert commentary on the issue published online in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
He provides recommendations and cites progress achieved based on NASEM activities between 2020 and 2022 that examined and identified the challenges and opportunities involved in overcoming barriers to increased research participation by diverse populations.
Women are more likely to experience dementia, and older adults are particularly affected by chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, requiring multiple medications, yet they’re marginalized in clinical trials. Addressing this is crucial for advancing health equity and elevating the quality of care for these excluded groups.
“The goal of my paper is to empower efforts on multiple levels to enhance the representation of women, minorities and older adults to improve their health outcomes. It serves as a valuable resource of actionable suggestions and reports on the progress that’s been made through coordinated national policy efforts and collaboration from various stakeholders, including research institutions, funding bodies and medical journals,” Watanabe says.
Importantly, numerous mandated policies have now been issued to boost representation, and federal regulations now require trial sponsors to submit diversity action plans when presenting study protocols. Enrollment goals and their rationale, as well as strategies for achieving them, must be included, along with details on age group, sex, racial and ethnic characteristics, disease prevalence among different demographics, specific outreach and enrollment methods, inclusion criteria, and diversity training for study personnel.
Enhancing the diversity of the workforce is also critical for health equity. It has repeatedly been shown that inclusivity in this group improves the ability to understand sectors of the population that are still regularly absent from clinical research on conditions that affect them and leads to increased representation in clinical studies.
“Addressing study participant and workforce inclusion gaps is both achievable and necessary. It requires intentional and committed efforts now coordinated by a broad range of stakeholders,” Watanabe says. “Fortunately, thanks to NASEM and the resulting federal efforts, we have taken a crucial step forward in improving the quality and applicability of clinical studies and now have informed guidance that can be applied to ensuring equitable representation and improving health outcomes for all.”
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources.
Journal
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Article Title
Enhancing drug evaluation in diverse populations and older adults: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine considerations
No comments:
Post a Comment