Increasing Access to People of African Descent in Pharma: Interview with Peju Oshisanya

07/21/21 • 44 min

Conversations in Clinical Trial Readiness

Peju Oshisanya

Peju Oshisanya is a Director and Clinical Program Leader at BenevolentAI. With more than 20 years in the drug research industry, Peju is an expert in pharmaceutical organization. Her career has run the gamut from early roles as a clinical trial associate to extensive experience running a wide range of global clinical research programs. In her role at BenevolentAI, she pairs her biomedical science background with further perspective from the tech side.

Peju is a passionate proponent of diversity in data and inclusion in clinical trial research. She believes that problems of diversity and inclusion are fixable, and she has determined to become a champion of that change, working to raise awareness and dedicating her own career to upend the status quo.

Episode Highlights

Peju’s “aha” moment that drove home the magnitude of inequity in biopharma, health, and clinical trials
Why it’s crucial to really understand the communities that we want to include in research
How decision-makers’ personal perspectives influence which diseases are prioritized and which treatments are funded
Why representation needs to extend to the experts rather than stopping with the patient population
Why it’s misleading and counter-productive to frame populations using the term “minority”
How helping patients understand the importance of research in informing treatments can help motivate participation
The huge potential opportunity Africa represents for clinical trials
The problem of perception when it comes to African institutions’ preparedness
How mining past data can create a self-perpetuating cycle that prevents capable sites from becoming experienced sites
What we can do to help ameliorate diverse patient populations’ trust in the healthcare industry
How anyone, regardless of their role within a company, can take steps to influence diversity in research
How the pandemic has signaled hope for diversity and inclusion going forward

Resources:

Peju Oshisanya on LinkedIn
BenevolentAI
Conversations in Clinical Trial Readiness Interview Series

Peju Oshisanya

Episode Highlights

Peju’s “aha” moment that drove home the magnitude of inequity in biopharma, health, and clinical trials
Why it’s crucial to really understand the communities that we want to include in research
How decision-makers’ personal perspectives influence which diseases are prioritized and which treatments are funded
Why representation needs to extend to the experts rather than stopping with the patient population
Why it’s misleading and counter-productive to frame populations using the term “minority”
How helping patients understand the importance of research in informing treatments can help motivate participation
The huge potential opportunity Africa represents for clinical trials
The problem of perception when it comes to African institutions’ preparedness
How mining past data can create a self-perpetuating cycle that prevents capable sites from becoming experienced sites
What we can do to help ameliorate diverse patient populations’ trust in the healthcare industry
How anyone, regardless of their role within a company, can take steps to influence diversity in research
How the pandemic has signaled hope for diversity and inclusion going forward

Resources:

Peju Oshisanya on LinkedIn
BenevolentAI
Conversations in Clinical Trial Readiness Interview Series

Previous Episode

undefined - How Can We Manage the Increasing Complexity of Clinical Trial Protocols? Interview with Ken Getz of Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development

How Can We Manage the Increasing Complexity of Clinical Trial Protocols? Interview with Ken Getz of Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development

Ken Getz is the Director of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development and a Research Professor at the Tufts University School of Medicine. Ken is an expert in drug development management and practices who has dedicated much of his career to raising awareness of clinical research enterprise.

In addition to frequently speaking at industry events and publishing in peer-reviewed journals, Ken is the founder of several organizations, including the non-profit CISCRP and the publisher CenterWatch. His career is a true testament to his belief in the importance of transparency and keeping all clinical research stakeholders well-informed.

Episode Highlights

The takeaways, both expected and surprising, from 2020 protocol performance data
The factors that are contributing to increased complexity in clinical trial protocols
Why simplifying the design of a study is not the right goal
The inherent benefits in complexity, and how we can reap them through proper management
What drives regulatory agencies to seek to quell rising complexity in clinical trial protocols
Why more data isn’t necessarily better
The importance of investigating underlying causes of problems rather than defaulting to solving them with volume
What happened to feasibility committees and what should replace them
Why it’s critical to incorporate patient input into study design
The consistent positive impact of patient advisory boards
How taking the time for thoughtful advanced planning can help preclude costly unplanned amendments later on

Resources:

Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development
Ken Getz on LinkedIn
CISCRP
CenterWatch
Conversations in Clinical Trial Readiness Interview Series

Next Episode

Why every clinical trial needs to consider Middle East and African sites: Interview with Ahmed Hamouda

Ahmed Hamouda

Ahmed Hamouda is the Head of Clinical Operations in the Middle East and Africa at RAY. In more than 10 years in the clinical research field, Ahmed has worked on both the CRO side and the pharmaceutical side in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and Africa.

Ahmed brings the full range of his experience to bear at RAY, which provides outsourcing and consulting services to support pharmaceutical and biotech companies through the clinical trial development process. With RAY, Ahmed leverages his expertise to bring hope and opportunity to patient populations who would not otherwise be reached.

Episode Highlights

Why Africa and Middle Eastern markets represent a major opportunity for sponsors
What regulations and unique requirements sponsors need to understand before moving into these markets
How the site selection and preparation process is different in these markets as opposed to in the U.S.
The importance of partnering with qualified regional experts
The challenges involved in driving patient participation in these regions
How one rare disease clinical trial was saved by a move from the U.S. to the Middle East, and how that move paid off in terms of recruitment
Potential logistical issues with global trials and how RAY manages them
Why continuous education is so important for sites
How Ahmed and RAY estimate the timeframe for study startup in a new region
The unexpected positive regional outcomes of the pandemic