Today a new global non-profit, Demand Diversity, has launched in Manchester, UK, established by Ash Rishi, founder and chair of the board, and Hayley Hubberstey named as CEO of Demand Diversity. The non-profit has been established to ensure communities and patients are aware of clinical research as a care option. The first aim of Demand Diversity will be to develop trust with communities by facilitating workshops and conducting research to impact health equity, initially in the UK and US.
Diversity in clinical research has remained one of the leading, unsolved challenges in the industry, impacting inclusion of different populations across therapy areas, and widening health disparities. But, despite the prevalence of this challenge, diversity and inclusion initiatives within clinical research organisations can be overlooked. Clinical research organisations are finding it challenging to connect with patients and underserved communities, and those who use treatments often aren’t given the opportunity to voice their needs.
Commenting on the launch of Demand Diversity, Ash Rishi remarked, “Over the past few years, the industry, whether healthcare, biopharma or CROs (contract research organisations), has understood the importance of making clinical research more inclusive. However, I felt that there is much to do to ensure that diversity in clinical trials doesn’t become another tokenistic gesture, and that we hold the industry more accountable and facilitate those trust discussions with communities globally.”
Hayley Hubberstey continues “We need to evolve the industry’s understanding of what diversity actually is. At Demand Diversity, we support all patients and underserved communities to ensure representation in research and accessibility for everyone who wishes to take part. We provide free resources and education to bring people together, including patients and communities, healthcare professionals and healthcare companies. We want to demystify what clinical research is and ensure better access and inclusion for everyone.”
The non-profit is dedicated to making sure patients and underserved communities get their say and have the opportunity to take part in clinical research, and they’re there to help the clinical research industry feel empowered to make changes that promote inclusive practices in their work.
For clinical research to be truly accessible and inclusive, everyone needs to be aware of the challenges faced by the industry — patients, underserved communities, and healthcare professionals alike. Demand Diversity’s website will serve as a hub for raising awareness of underrepresentation in clinical research, as well as providing opportunities for patients and community members to share their experiences with the industry.
What to expect from Demand Diversity:
- A comprehensive collection of educational resources and reports, all based on insights from real, diverse groups of people.
- Opportunities to get involved with Demand Diversity, through contributing to research projects, creating blogs, or volunteering expertise.
- A strategically curated selection of educational resources for healthcare professionals, researchers and other clinical research industry professionals to implement inclusive practices within their work.
Demand Diversity strives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the clinical research industry. They partner with a variety of stakeholders, as well as conduct internal research initiatives, to promote inclusive practices that drive tangible, actionable change. They’re based in Manchester, UK. You can find out more about us and our mission on their website: demanddiversity.net
For further enquiries, contact CEO Hayley Hubberstey at hayley@demanddiversity.net.
