Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Clinical Trials

Abstract

Key Points Question What is the prevalence of participants from racial/ethnic minority groups compared with White individuals in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) clinical trials? Findings In this meta-analysis of 33 428 POAG clinical trial participants, 70.7% of the study population was White, 16.8% was Black, 3.4% was Hispanic/Latino, and 9.1% consisted of other races/ethnicities, including Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native, and unreported. The proportion of Black participants did not significantly increase from 1994 to 2019, but there was a significant association between study sponsor and participation of Black individuals in clinical trials. Meaning Results suggest that racial/ethnic minority groups have a significantly lower participation rate in POAG clinical trials compared with White individuals despite having a higher disease burden.