Race and ethnicity in multiple sclerosis phase 3 clinical trials: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: Distinctive differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) have been observed by race and ethnicity. We aim to (1) assess how often race and ethnicity were reported in clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, (2) evaluate whether the population was diverse enough, and (3) compare with publications. Methods: We included phase 3 clinical trials registered with results on ClinicalTrials.gov between 2007 and 2023. When race and/or ethnicity were reported, we searched for the corresponding publications. Results: Out of the 99 included studies, 56% reported race and/or ethnicity, of which only 26% of those primarily completed before 2017. Studies reporting race or ethnicity contributed to a total of 33,891 participants, mainly enrolled in Eastern Europe. Most were White (93%), and the median percentage of White participants was 93% (interquartile range (IQR) = 86%–98%), compared to 3% for Black (IQR = 1%–12%) and 0.2% for Asian (IQR = 0%–1%). Four trials omitted race and ethnicity in publications and even when information was reported, some discrepancies in terminology were identified and categories with fewer participants were often collapsed. Conclusion: More efforts should be done to improve transparency, accuracy, and representativeness, in publications and at a design phase, by addressing social determinants of health that historically limit the enrollment of underrepresented population.