hyperCORE International is working to accelerate clinical research, allowing the healthcare field to grow at the speed necessary to positively affect the lives of people around the world. Seneca Harrison, Chief Diversity Officer of hyperCORE and CEO of Quality Clinical Research, is working to restore the broken trust between the clinical trial industry and marginalized groups in order to .
Seneca Harrison’s Priorities
Seneca Harrison is working closely with marginalized communities in Nebraska to share information on how clinical trials can benefit the health of society. Harrison understands the delicate nature of working with groups who have been harmed by medical research in the past and is working to heal the wounds caused by injustice camouflaged by science.
Harrison is currently working with the people of the Omaha Nation, partnering with tribe members to share new developments and possibilities within current clinical trials. In addition to providing education on how clinical trials can benefit the health of tribe members, Harrison is also working to bring necessary medical supplies to the reservation. In time, Harrison hopes to bring clinical trials directly to the reservation, removing financial and logistical barriers that can make it difficult for people to participate in medical research.
In addition to his work with Omaha Nation, Harrison is also working closely with Black and Hispanic people in Nebraska, working to heal centuries of wounds caused by the medical research industry. Harrison connects with area churches to conduct question and answer sessions with congregation members, helping to quell fears surrounding medical research and inform the community of how clinical trials can help improve community health.
Understanding The Trust Breakdown: How Do We Rebuild?
There are many issues throughout history that have caused marginalized communities to rightfully question the ethics of medical research. The Tuskeegee Syphilis study, racist studies on aggression in boys of color, and other deplorable parts of history have, understandably, made it difficult for many groups to trust research institutions.
In addition to a general sense of mistrust, many people in marginalized communities like the financial resources necessary to participate in clinical trials, or may struggle with finding transportation to and from trial appointments. Some people in marginalized communities are unaware of how participating in clinical trials can help improve the health of their communities.
Seneca Harrison’s hope is that the work he and his team at Quality Clinical Research are doing will help bridge the gap between marginalized peoples and medical research organizations, with the ultimate goal of increasing participation in clinical trials that will potentially bring new treatments for health issues that commonly hurt these communities. His work at Quality Clinical Research is helping further hyperCORE’s diversity efforts and solidify the importance of having diverse patient populations in clinical research.
