Diversity In Clinical Trials Is A Design Decision, Not An Outreach Plan

By Dr. David Strong, Medical Director and Principal Investigator, Flourish Research Detroit

Improving diversity in clinical trials requires more than a one-time outreach campaign. It starts with designing research sites around the communities they intend to serve. At Flourish Healthcare's Detroit site, that strategy includes trusted physician referral networks, community partnerships, multilingual staff, and studies aligned with conditions that disproportionately affect local patients. More than half of the participants enrolled at the site come from diverse backgrounds.

Recent obesity trials demonstrate how those community connections can translate into measurable enrollment and retention results, even when protocols introduce complex eligibility requirements. In one rescue study, 70% of enrolled participants identified as Black or African American, while another challenging Phase III study reached 120% of its enrollment target before enrollment closed.

The experience offers a practical model for sponsors and research organizations looking to improve representation: build trust into the site itself, partner closely with treating physicians, and make inclusion part of trial execution from the beginning.