Marginalized populations in healthcare: How research and advocacy must address equity issues in medical science

On Wednesday night in downtown Boston, leaders from the life sciences gathered to celebrate STAT’s 2024 STATUS List. The event featured members of this year’s list, as well as past honorees, who shared insights on the key issues in their fields that need to be prioritized to improve healthcare in the U.S. and worldwide.

One of the main themes discussed was equity and inclusion in medical science. Jonathan Jackson, an honoree from 2023 and the executive director of the Community Access, Recruitment, and Engagement Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, emphasized the need to move research away from elite institutions to achieve true equity. He highlighted the importance of prioritizing the needs of marginalized populations that are often overlooked in research and advocacy efforts.

Stuart Orkin, a professor at Harvard Medical School, pointed out the underinvestment of powerful institutions like the National Institutes of Health and the pharmaceutical industry in sickle cell research for many years. His research laid the foundation for Vertex’s groundbreaking gene therapy for sickle cell disease, which predominantly affects Black individuals. Orkin has become an advocate for equity in research and healthcare, highlighting the importance of addressing disparities in health outcomes among different populations.