Harriette Van Spall

A tactical road map on how to close the gender gap in cardiovascular clinical trial leadership, with PHRI Scientist Harriette Van Spall as lead author, has been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The paper, titled Ending Gender Inequality in Cardiovascular Clinical Trial Leadership: JACC Review Topic of the Week, features actionable items for scientists, grant agencies, industry, professional societies, journals, academic institutions, and ‘catalyzers’ (mentors, networks).

Quoted in a TCTMD news article, Harriette Van Spall says the plan – coauthored with several members of the Global Cardiovascular Clinical Trialists Forum and the Women As One Scientific Expert Panel – “represents a move from calling out a problem to solving it in a very constructive way.

“What we lay out are checklists that institutions can use to track progress, to report progress, and to move to the next phase to completely close the gap.”

She adds, “we haven’t seen the trends change over the last 20 years, which is why this document is so focused on actually creating that change… Because time alone, conversations alone, highlighting gaps alone, will not bring change” towards diversity in cardiovascular clinical trial leadership.

Back To Top