Ethnic minority and migrant underrepresentation in Covid-19 research: Causes and solutions

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the longstanding under representation of ethnic minorities in clinical research – including migrant populations [1]. Ethnic minorities in the UK are at significantly greater risk of severe disease and death from Covid-19 than their White counterparts [2]. Similarly, migrants in high-income countries with Covid-19 have been identified as being at potentially greater risk of hospitalisation and death than non-migrants [3]. Despite this, a recent National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) report found ethnic minorities constitute only 9·26% of participants in UK Covid-19 studies, below their representation in the general population (13·80%) [4].