New FDA-backed initiative seeks to boost diversity in medtech

MedTech Color launched of a Collaborative Community on Diversity and Inclusion in Medical Device Product Development and Clinical Research.

The MedTech Color Collaborative Community aims to bring together public and private stakeholders and develop targeted strategies to up the awareness, understanding and participation of racial and ethnic minorities within the medtech industry, according to a news release.

“The FDA is committed to advancing diverse participation in trials to ensure that clinical studies better reflect the populations that will ultimately benefit from new and innovative health solutions,” director of the FDA’s Center for Devices & Radiological Health (CDRH) Dr. Jeff Shuren said in the release. “We are encouraged by MedTech Color’s active efforts to develop solutions to increase participant diversity and inclusion of minority health populations. We are also pleased to have FDA liaisons from CDRH and the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity participate in this collaborative community.”

Stated goals of the MedTech Color Collaborative Community include increasing clinical trial enrollment participation to represent diverse populations, as well as creating awareness of different disease states, prevalence rates in people of color and symptom recognition among minority populations.

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