CeraVe Establishes Fund at Howard University to Address Lack of Diversity and Increase Representation of Skin of Color in Skincare Clinical Research

#1 Dermatologist-Recommended Skincare Brand in the US¹ Helps University Advance as Leader in Dermatological Science, Marking Step towards Eliminating Racial Health Disparities

NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As a brand developed with dermatologists and backed by science, CeraVe is committed to providing safe and efficacious skincare products for all people and recognizes that there are representation gaps within the skincare industry. This includes representation at the clinical research level, both for participants of dermatological clinical trials and the investigators conducting them, of which there is a significant disparity for skin of color. To help close this existing racial inequity gap in dermatological research, CeraVe is establishing a fund at Howard University, one of the only historically Black universities with a Department of Dermatology, to help its faculty further their expertise and build the infrastructure needed to conduct clinical trials with a focus on skin of color.

The Racial Disparity in Dermatology

Not only do Black physicians account for just 3% of dermatologists, despite comprising close to 13% of the US population², the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics reports that the Black population is consistently underrepresented in science and engineering (S&E) education and employment. A 2011 Science study by Ginther et al. identified a gap in scientific funding, showing that Black researchers are 10% less likely to obtain funding than their White counterparts³. Diversity is not just lacking in those participating in clinical trials, but also in those conducting the trials.

However, inclusion of people of color in research and clinical trials is imperative to understand how skin conditions impact this patient population differently, which will lead to the development of efficacious products for skin of color, as well as education for companies and doctors to better serve this patient population. This new partnership will help Howard University, which serves a predominantly Black patient population, forge the path to advance dermatological science and improve representation of Black people leading clinical trials.

The Partnership with Howard University

The first stage of the partnership between CeraVe and Howard University, will help fund faculty education to obtain certification to conduct clinical trials. By partnering with the Howard University Dermatology Department, CeraVe is helping the University become a leader in research and innovation of dermatological science for skin of color.

"The creation of the fund in partnership with CeraVe allows us to invest in training our academic faculty to conduct clinical research trials, the first step towards building a dermatology clinical trials unit in the only dermatology department at a historically Black university," said Dr. Ginette Okoye, Chair of Dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine. "The brand's vision and support of the department of dermatology at Howard University improves the retention, and ultimately the academic promotion, of faculty from groups underrepresented in medicine, and by extension provides more opportunities for mentorship of UIM students and residents."

"Equity within skincare is more than representation in marketing and advertising. It is representation of all people at the root of product development," said Tom Allison, CeraVe co-founder and Senior Vice President of Global Professional Marketing. "To truly achieve therapeutic skincare for all, people of all skin types and tones must be part of skincare research, and this fund at Howard University is one step towards closing the inequity gap."

Howard University's College of Medicine and Howard University Hospital have been associated since the 1860s and have since been the training ground for some of the nation's top Black physicians. Howard has a long-standing goal of developing scholars and professionals that drive change in today's global issues. Both Howard University and CeraVe are committed to transform values into action to address the health inequities impacting people of color. The funding from CeraVe will cover training for faculty from the Department of Dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine to become certified to lead clinical trials, a critical and groundbreaking step in advancing dermatology for skin of color.

To learn more about CeraVe and its mission to achieve therapeutic skincare for all people, visit www.cerave.com and find the brand on social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

¹ IQVIA, ProVoice Survey, 12 months ending January 2022
²Diversity in the dermatology workforce: What can we do? Practical Dermatology https://practicaldermatology.com/articles/2019-july/diversity-in-the-dermatology-workforce-what-can-we-do 
³U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Racial disparities in NIH funding. National Institutes of Health. https://diversity.nih.gov/building-evidence/racial-disparities-nih-funding 
⁴Ivana T. Croghan, Steven D. Viker, Andrew H. Limper, Tamara K. Evans, Alissa R. Cornell, Jon O. Ebbert, Morie A. Gertz, Developing a clinical trial unit to advance research in an academic institution, Contemporary Clinical Trials, Volume 45, Part B, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2015.10.001. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1551714415301002)

Founded in 2005 and developed with dermatologists, CeraVe is the first and only brand to offer a complete line of products containing essential ceramides and patented MVE technology to help restore the skin's natural protective barrier. CeraVe has a full line of skincare products to follow the dermatologist-recommended steps of: cleanse, treat, moisturize, and protect. The brand's mission is to provide therapeutic skincare for all. For more information, visit the brand on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or at www.cerave.com.

L'Oréal has devoted itself to beauty for over 100 years. With its unique international portfolio of 34 diverse and complementary brands, the Group generated sales amounting to 25.8 billion euros in 2016 and employs 89,300 people worldwide. As the world's leading beauty company, L'Oréal is present across all distribution networks: mass market, department stores, pharmacies and drugstores, hair salons, travel retail, branded retail and e-commerce. Research and innovation, and a dedicated research team of 3,870 people, are at the core of L'Oréal's strategy, working to meet beauty aspirations all over the world. L'Oréal's sustainability commitment for 2020 "Sharing Beauty With All" sets out ambitious sustainable development objectives across the Group's value chain. For more information visit www.loreal.com.

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu. 

SOURCE CeraVe