Why Clinical Trials Need More Diverse Voices, With Renarda Jones, Ph.D.

Renarda Jones, Ph.D., founder of Diverse Research Now, has a simple but powerful message: Medicine should work for everyone — not just a select few.

Clinical trials play a huge role in shaping new treatments and therapies, but for decades, communities of color have been underrepresented in research. This lack of diversity impacts how well new medications work across different populations.

“So many factors affect how people respond to medicine — genetics, environment, even culture,” Jones explains. Without including diverse groups in research, we miss critical information about how treatments affect different people.

Breaking Down Barriers

Why haven’t more people of color participated in trials? Jones points to several reasons:

• Lack of outreach: Many people simply aren’t asked to join trials.
• Cultural disconnects: There’s often a gap between researchers and the communities they want to serve.
• Strict eligibility criteria: Sometimes trial rules unintentionally exclude people from underrepresented groups.

Location matters, too. Jones stresses the need for research sites in the very communities researchers hope to reach. “If you want people to participate, you have to meet them where they are,” she says.

Rebuilding Trust

Another barrier: historical mistrust of medical research, especially in Black communities. Events like the Tuskegee syphilis study and the story of Henrietta Lacks left deep scars.

“That mistrust is valid and deeply rooted,” Jones says. “We don’t shy away from that conversation. We talk about it openly to build trust.”

Transparency, education and ongoing community engagement are key strategies Diverse Research Now uses to bridge the gap.

Busting Common Myths

Jones works hard to dispel common fears:

• “Am I just a guinea pig?”
  No — participants are partners in discovery, not test subjects.
• “If I join, am I stuck?”
  No — you can leave a clinical trial at any time.

Why Participation Matters

The goal isn’t just representation — it’s better, more accurate science and improved health outcomes for everyone. “We can’t find the right treatments if we’re not studying the people most affected,” she says.

Areas like Alzheimer’s disease and autoimmune disorders like lupus are especially underrepresented in research but disproportionately impact communities of color.

What You Can Do

• Talk to your doctor about trials.
• Educate yourself and your family.
• Visit Diverse Research Now for resources and information.

“Let’s normalize this conversation,” Jones says. “It starts with education and talking to the people we care about.”

This transcript has been edited for clarity.