Trials fall short on representation – Black patients underenrolled in MF/SS studies
The February issue of JDD features a review of completed US interventional trials for mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome that found stark racial gaps: only 154 of 1,483 participants (10.4%) identified as Black, a significant underrepresentation versus 2023 US Census benchmarks (P<0.001). Black participants were actually overrepresented in Phase 1 trials but underrepresented in Phase 3 trials, and only 39% of trial‑related publications reported participant race. Most trial sites were located in areas with moderate to high Black populations and exclusion criteria did not differ significantly between low‑ and high‑Black‑enrolling trials, suggesting barriers beyond site geography or formal eligibility.
For clinicians, these findings matter because underrepresentation threatens the generalizability of safety and efficacy data for a disease that disproportionately affects some minority patients; they underscore the need for intentional recruitment, complete demographic reporting, and scrutiny of hidden barriers to enrollment.
Read the full article for the trial list and methods, and consider how you can support equitable trial access by referring eligible patients, partnering with investigators on community outreach, and demanding transparent race reporting in future publications.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2026;25(2). doi:10.36849/JDD.9300
Blog write-up assisted by AI
