Ethnoracial Inclusion in Clinical Trials of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs July 1, 2022 Timothy I. Michaels, Lebert Lester, Sara de la Salle et al. 19 citations
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are greatly underrepresented in ketamine clinical trials for mood disorders, despite experiencing high rates of such conditions. A review of double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized ketamine trials from 1993 to 2020 found that among 380 participants, 73.7% were non-Hispanic White, 9.2% Black, 5.0% Hispanic/Latinx, and 0.8% Asian. Higher BIPOC inclusion was negatively correlated with the number of recruitment methods used. The lack of reported demographic information may further underestimate BIPOC participation. These disparities mean reported treatment outcomes may not generalize to all groups, and unequal access to novel treatments worsens health inequities.