Dr. Mitchell on ECOG-ACRIN’s Efforts in Addressing Health Disparities in Cancer Care

Edith P. Mitchell, MD, MACP, FCPP, FRCS, shared the inspiration behind the ECOG-ACRIN Health Equity Committee, and discusses ECOG-ACRIN’s efforts in addressing health disparities in cancer care.

The ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group is working to provide collaborative efforts with Black physicians who are members of the National Medical Association, as well as collaborations to increase the accrual of Black patients to ECOG-ACRIN clinical trials, Mitchell says. Moreover, in 2017, efforts were put into a project to increase the number of Black providers who are in or plan to work in cancer medicine, including residents, fellows, and undergraduate medical students, Mitchell explains. This project as done with the goal of mentoring Black individuals who are preparing for a career in medicine, Mitchell adds. 

With these effots, it became possible to develop the in the ECOG-ACRIN Health Equity Committee, Mitchell continues. The committee consists of physicians, as well as clinical research assistants and individuals from various fields of cancer research. The goal is to have a comprehensive group of individuals involved and working together, Mitchell concludes.