Trends in Ethnoracial Representation in Alopecia Areata Clinical Trials: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study examines the ethnoracial representation in alopecia areata (AA) clinical trials, revealing a significant underrepresentation of Hispanic and Black patients despite higher AA incidence in these groups compared to White populations. An analysis of 18 out of 60 completed trials with ethnoracial data showed that of 2,587 patients, 62.4% were White, while Asian, Hispanic/Latino, and Black/African American patients comprised 25.4%, 12.6%, and 8.2%, respectively. Although minority representation increased from 2012 to 2022, this was mainly due to a rise in Asian participants, while Hispanic and Black participation decreased. The study emphasizes the need for improved diversity in clinical trials to ensure therapeutic efficacy across all populations and suggests measures such as consistent reporting of ethnoracial data, inclusion of Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category, and the implementation of funding incentives and community partnerships to enhance recruitment diversity.