Participation is low. While 16.9 percent of white docs participate as principal investigators, participation is lower among minorities - 14 percent of African-American docs, 10.8 percent of Hispanic docs and 9.6 percent of Asian docs, according to a study by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. As far as gender is concerned, 16.9 percent of male docs participate, but only 10.9 percent of female docs. In general, minority and female clinical investigators initiate far fewer clinical trials each year than white or male docs.

“More than 70% of all physicians, regardless of race or gender, tell us they have a strong desire to participate in clinical research, but a number of factors are dissuading them from doing so,” says Ken Getz, a senior research fellow at the Tufts Center, who conducted the study, in a statement.

Why are there differences? He cites time constraints and lack of infrastructure, such as dedicated personnel and office space, as barriers that minority docs say prevent them from participating as investigators at the same level as white docs. Female docs pointed to time constraints and infrastructure needs as the major obstacles. For the record, the Tufts Center is funded, partially, by industry.

The study, based on surveys of nearly 1,400 physicians, assessed the incidence of participation as clinical investigators and gathered descriptive and attitudinal data on clinical trial participation. Race was determined by self-report, and survey choices were consistent with US Census Bureau classifications.

The results, reported in the November/December Tufts CSDD Impact Report, released today, also found that:

- Fifty-one percent of African-American docs and 57 percent of Hispanic docs consider a physician’s race an important factor in influencing minority patient participation in clinical research, compared with 9 percent of white docs and 21 percent of Asian docs;

- Minority docs are less likely to refer their patients into clinical studies than white docs - 38% vs. 47%, respectively. Of docs who refer patients, whites and African-Americans, on average, refer twice as many patients to studies as do Asian and Hispanic physicians;

- Female investigators, who annually initiate only one-third the number of studies that male investigators initiate, report that distrust of the health care system and child care issues are major factors limiting their patients’ participation in clinical research.