Public Consultation on Including Underrepresented Populations in Clinical Trials
Key Insights
The World Health Organization has opened a public consultation on improving the inclusion of underrepresented populations in clinical trials, running from 14 September to 29 October 2026.
The consultation seeks views on current challenges, barriers to participation, priorities for improving inclusion and actions to strengthen trial design, recruitment, reporting, accountability and community engagement.
Findings will feed into recommendations developed under a WHO-supported international project led by Cochrane Response (search), with consultation activities led by researchers at La Trobe University.
The World Health Organization has invited stakeholders to contribute to a public consultation on improving the inclusion of underrepresented populations in clinical trials. The survey is open from 14 September 2026 to 29 October 2026.
The consultation collects views on current challenges, barriers to participation and priorities for improving inclusion, along with actions that could strengthen trial design, recruitment, reporting, accountability and community engagement. WHO welcomes input from researchers, clinical trialists, ethics committee members, funders, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and organizations representing patients and communities across different countries and regions. Responses will be analysed in aggregate and individual respondents will not be identified.
Findings will contribute to the development and refinement of recommendations on inclusion of underrepresented populations in trials. The consultation forms part of a WHO-supported international project led by Cochrane Response (search), with consultation activities led by researchers at La Trobe University. The project aims to identify barriers to participation, review existing policies and guidance, and develop practical recommendations to support more inclusive clinical trials.