Op Ed Editorial

HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

OP-ED: The Power of Trust and Truth Getting and sharing the facts about people from all races, genders, ages, socio-economic classes and COVID-19, trusting science can help turn tide more. We simply need to learn who is likely to benefit the most for pandemic-strapped communities of color from any given treatment. In other words, we can’t develop effective drugs and vaccines to conquer By Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., Director National Heart, Lung, COVID-19 in communities of colBlood Institute and Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D., Director 11 states to establish the Commu- or without the active participation National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities nity Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities. of the people who live there. We strongly believe that when

COVID-19 has killed more CoV-2, has simply shone a spot- This Alliance has already done right, inclusive research leads than 230,000 people in light on health disparities that have brought together community- and to solutions that get us where we the U.S., and the death toll long affected underrepresented faith-based organizations, doctors, need to be. We already have safecontinues to rise at a rate of about communities like ours. We know, patients, researchers, communi- guards in place to ensure historic 1,000 per day. We know, howev- for example, that obesity, diabetes, ty advocates and minority-serv- wrongs are not repeated, and that er, that families and communities and heart disease are more prev- ing educational institutions. For safe and ethical standards are don’t count their losses in thou- alent among people of color. If weeks, from Sacramento, Cali- practiced consistently. The Food sands or hundreds; they count you have any of these conditions fornia to Jackson, Mississippi, we and Drug Administration, review them one-by-one – a father, a and contract COVID-19 you run a have been listening carefully — boards, and expert panels at the teacher, a sister, a friend, a nurse, a much higher risk for severe com- to concerns, fears, very practical NIH—indeed, each institution son, a Tribal elder, a church mem- plications and death. questions, and ideas. Our sincere and company conducting medical ber. And these losses hurt. Biology and behavior are hope is that, working together, research—rigorously review ev-

Some communities feel the just part of the picture. Where we we will find ways to overcome ery phase of a clinical trial, from impact of COVID-19 more than work, whether we have access to COVID-19 in a manner that takes before it begins until after it ends. others. Latinos, along with African quality health care, what we eat, into account the history, cultural These review boards include not Americans and American Indians, and other socio-economic condi- differences, and unique input and just scientists, doctors, and exaccount for more than half of all tions also drive health disparities. needs of the people it affects most. perts, but also community advoCOVID-related cases, even though As we grapple with the effects How do we do this? We start cates who keep a watchful eye on they represent just a third of the of these health inequities on our by offering reliable and easily the process. population. According to the Cen- daily lives, we can take simple understood information based on While these factors are critical ters for Disease Control and Pre- public health measures to help science, dispelling myths, and to ending this public health emervention (CDC), these groups re- prevent the immediate spread of explaining the importance of re- gency, we must keep our eyes on quire hospitalization at a rate about this disease, starting with wearing search. CEAL is working with an even bigger prize—a nation five times higher than whites, due a mask, washing our hands, and trusted members in communities without the disturbing health ineqto the severity of their illnesses or maintaining six feet of distance like yours to ensure access to infor- uities that compromise the health lack of early access to health care. from others. That won’t be enough mation that can be shared through of our whole society. As clinicians And the mortality outcomes reflect to end the pandemic in communi- virtual town halls, infographics, who have cared for countless pathis as well: Latinos and American ties of color. animated videos, and in many oth- tients of color, as mentors who Indians die at 1.5 times the rate of As the leaders of two pub- er ways – like social media posts. have supported underrepresented whites, and African Americans, at lic health research agencies, we Importantly, we also will be groups, and as members of com2.4 times the rate. know we can’t just devise solu- encouraging participation in re- munities where each one teaches

As scientists and NIH col- tions from Washington, D.C. We search studies designed to stamp one, we fully understand the power leagues with more than 60 years must also work with those who are out COVID-19 in high-risk com- of community to make a difference of combined research experience most trusted, respected, and clos- munities. That’s because clinical in the long fight against this conin health disparities, we are not est to these hard-hit communities. trials, the fundamental part of the querable problem. surprised by these discouraging Through joint local efforts, we be- scientific process, show whether We firmly believe that by travstatistics. But these awful num- lieve we can ensure that the best, new medicines and vaccines are eling this journey together—by bers also feel deeply personal: they most accurate information reaches effective at protecting you against sharing sound information, by represent our friends, our family, these communities, and that they disease. When a drug gets ap- squashing misinformation, by beour loved ones, too, as our roots are informed about, and included proved and your doctor prescribes ing responsible citizens and buildare in these very communities— in, diverse research studies essen- it for you, you are not wrong to ing trust in science—we can push Philadelphia’s African American tial for developing safe, effective wonder whether it has been tested this deadly pandemic into retreat. neighborhoods, Miami’s Cuban treatments, and vaccines for all. and shown to work — and espe- Hopefully when that happens, we immigrant diaspora. That is why the National Institutes cially shown to work for people can embark on a path of inclusion

COVID-19, the disease caused of Health (NIH) has issued a $12 like you. that gives everyone in America by the novel coronavirus SARS- million award to support teams in This is why it is so important a fighting chance for a long and for research studies to include healthy life. Vol. 25, No 49 December 3, 2020

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