Under-representation of ethnic minorities in clinical research has major implications for equality of access to current treatments in the field of dermatology. To determine whether there has been equitable representation of black individuals in the clinical trials for dermatological new molecular entities (NMEs) approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2015, we analysed data from the FDA Drug Trials Snapshots programme from January 2015 to the present. During this period, there was significant under-representation of black participants in clinical trials for NMEs treating acne vulgaris, plaque psoriasis, actinic keratosis and squamous cell carcinoma. These findings highlight the need to prioritize representation of ethnic minorities in clinical trials to enhance clinical practice in the field of dermatology and to improve the care and health of minorities.
© 2021 British Association of Dermatologists.