June 2, 2020
The events that spurred the reaction around the country this weekend are painful reminders that injustice remains in our world. At the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation® (GAP), we agree that monumental changes on local and national levels are necessary to address the issues plaguing Black and African American people in our country today. As we work with our GAP-Net sites, sponsors, funders and friends, we strive to be a positive force for change in every community with whom we serve.
GAP is committed to helping to improve lives by ending health disparities across the country. We realize the distrust of healthcare professionals comes from deeply imbedded racism and discrimination in our nation’s history and has created inequalities in the healthcare system, leading to a valid, intergenerational distrust in the healthcare system. Pretending these disparities do not exist is not an option. To find a cure for Alzheimer’s that works for all, we need diversity in clinical trial participants as well as the researchers, doctors, and team members that support those trials.
Our mission remains the same, to speed the delivery of innovative therapies to those living with Alzheimer’s by reducing the time and cost of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) clinical trials. Aligned with our mission is our commitment to support the efforts to increase participation in trials. Participation by Black people is critical as they are twice as likely as whites to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and only make up 2-5% of trial volunteers but are much more at risk for being afflicted with the disease. We stand with our partners nationally and in communities across North America as we seek alliances that can serve our mission and reduce the impact of Alzheimer’s on the African American community, as well as all communities of color.
We look forward to continuing our support of GAP-Net sites and the people participating in clinical trial research as the pandemic and unwanted violence subside. We also look forward to making substantial progress in improving access to Alzheimer’s clinical trials and therapies for all communities of color.