How the demographics of clinical trials can hurt people of color

Medical research in the U.S. has a dark history, particularly when it comes to the Black community. This has led many in communities of color to distrust the institution of medicine. Across the nation, 60% of Americans as a whole said they will get a COVID-19 vaccine. But, among Black people, that number drops to 42%, compared with 83% of Asians, 63% of Latinx, and 61% of white adults, according to the Pew Research Center. Crosscut investigates what that means for research and treatment, and why representation matters when it comes to clinical studies.