Disparity in Medical Research Participation Among Hispanics and Latinos Prompts Event

ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid concerns over recent research highlighting that clinical trial participation among Hispanics and Latinos is disproportionately low compared to their percentage of the U.S. population, community and industry healthcare leaders will come together on Feb. 12 in Dallas to participate in Todos Juntos por la Salud (All Together for Health), a forum hosted by global patient recruitment and retention company MMG. The moderator of the forum will be Dr. Elena Rios, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), a participating advocacy group, which represents over 45,000 Hispanic physicians across the U.S.

Although Hispanics and Latinos represent 16 percent of the U.S. population, they make up only 3 percent of the approximately 260,000 Americans who volunteer to participate in medical research each year. With the U.S. Hispanic population expected to triple by 2050, steps are needed now to achieve greater Hispanic and Latino representation in medical research.

At the forum, MMG will collaborate with community leaders and industry stakeholders, such as the NHMA, to gain a better understanding of the reasons for the disparity in clinical research participation in the U.S. Hispanic and Latino populations. The goals of the forum are to identify barriers that prevent these populations from participating in clinical research and to develop strategies to increase their access to and representation in medical research.

Dr. Rios said, "When we see Hispanic leadership involved in clinical research, we will see real change. The NHMA, along with other advocacy groups, such as the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Hispanic American Colleges and Universities, and the National Resource Center for Hispanic Mental Health, are committed to driving strategic initiatives through this forum that increases Hispanic and Latino representation in medical research."

The outcome of the Todos Juntos por la Salud forum will be publicized to promote best practices and to build on the initiative's momentum. Please visit www.juntosforhealth.com for more information about participating in the forum or becoming a sponsor. You can also follow Todos Juntos por la Salud on Facebook and Twitter.

About MMG

MMG, a Ketchum company and part of the Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC) family, is a global clinical trial patient recruitment and retention organization. With experience in more than 70 countries and deep insights across therapeutic areas, patient populations, and study types, MMG designs and executes strategic programs to increase and accelerate clinical trial participation for pharmaceutical industry and government-sponsored research.

SOURCE MMG