Use of race and ethnicity is sometimes ‘harmful' in medical research, says new report

Jazmin Evans was diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 17 in 2012. She received a kidney transplant in July 2023, after being on the transplant waitlist for four years. Today, a year and a half after the transplant, Evans reports feeling great, and her kidney is functioning well, with no signs of rejection.

Her path to a transplant was challenging, as she was placed on the kidney transplant list four years later than necessary due to her race impacting clinical equations assessing kidney health. Evans argues that race should not have influenced her treatment timeline as it lacks scientific justification.

The equations in question often overestimate kidney function in Black Americans, delaying necessary treatments. This reliance on race is criticized for being both inaccurate and harmful, as it perpetuates misconceptions about the biological division of humans based on race.

While race impacts health as a social determinant rather than a biological one, its overuse in algorithms can lead to misinformed health decisions. Instead of using race as a proxy for other variables like socioeconomic factors or discrimination, more comprehensive approaches are encouraged.

The issue highlights historical assumptions and biases present in clinical algorithms. Adjustments in these algorithms, such as incorporating diverse perspectives throughout the research process, are proposed to address these inaccuracies. This includes partnerships with communities to better represent varied racial and ethnic experiences.

Evans now advocates for racial equity in health care, emphasizing the need to reassess assumptions about patient care influenced by race. Understanding of race and ethnicity continues to evolve, underscoring the importance of re-evaluating their roles in health care assessments.