National Lupus Outreach and Clinical Trial Education Program

The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) anticipates funding projects to demonstrate the effectiveness of interventions for increasing racial and ethnic minority enrollment and retention in lupus-related clinical trials. Projects are intended to identify and sustain effective interventions that advance clinical trial diversity and to ultimately result in reduced lupus-related health disparities experienced by racial and ethnic minority populations. Black women are three times more likely to develop lupus than their White counterparts, with Hispanic, Asian, and Native American populations also at an increased risk for developing lupus. African Americans account for 43% of all lupus cases, but African American enrollment in lupus clinical trials stands at 14%. Without enrollment in clinical trials that reflect the patient population the drug is intended to treat, a drug may be less effective or not effective at treating the disease in a large number of patients. Increasing minority participation in lupus clinical trials is important for addressing lupus-related racial and ethnic health disparities. Recipients will be expected to sustain increased enrollment of racial and ethnic minorities in lupus-related clinical trials through outreach and education interventions, and public-private and community partnerships. Recipients also will assess the impact of project findings by implementing a process and outcomes evaluation for dissemination to diverse stakeholders.