Project IMPACT 2.0
Advancing Diverse, Trusted, and High-Impact Clinical Research
Project IMPACT 2.0 is a flagship initiative of the National Medical Association (NMA) designed to increase minority participation and access in clinical trials while strengthening the pipeline of diverse clinical investigators. Building on a program established in 1999, Project IMPACT has advanced awareness, education, and engagement in clinical research among African American physicians and communities.
Why Representation in Clinical Trials Matters
Clinical research directly determines the standard of care, the medications prescribed to patients, approved safety and efficacy profiles, and the future of precision medicine. Yet African American and other underrepresented populations are consistently absent from the data driving these decisions.
The consequences are real, for patients, for science, and for industry:
- Trial outcomes are only as reliable as the populations studied
- Products approved without sufficient minority participation carry unexamined clinical and reputational risk
- Increasing reliance on non-U.S. data raises questions about applicability to diverse U.S. populations
- Precision therapies require inclusive datasets to deliver on their promise
- Minority investigator representation directly affects participant trust and recruitment success
- Formularies and value-based care models increasingly demand evidence across diverse populations
What Project IMPACT 2.0 Delivers
NMA’s physician network and community relationships make Project IMPACT 2.0 a uniquely actionable platform, from investigator training to patient engagement.
Core Program Pillars
- Investigator Development Clinical research education, trial design training, and pipeline development for diverse principal investigators
- National Minority Researcher Network A centralized, searchable database of minority investigators for faster site identification and activation
- Community-Based Engagement Grassroots outreach, culturally relevant education, and patient-centered strategies that improve enrollment and retention
- Data and Advisory Collaboration Researcher surveys, needs assessments, and advisory guidance to inform trial strategy and design
A Coalition Model Built for Industry
Project IMPACT 2.0 convenes pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical device manufacturers, academic institutions, community organizations, and policy stakeholders. This model allows sponsors to collaborate on pre-competitive challenges, recruitment, trust-building, and workforce development, rather than solving them independently.
Opportunities for Partnership
- 1 Join the Project IMPACT 2.0 Coalition to help shape national strategies for clinical trial diversity
- 2 Identify and engage diverse investigators and sites for active trials
- 3 Support training for the next generation of clinical investigators
- 4 Leverage network intelligence to strengthen regulatory submissions and diversity action plans
The Impact We Can Achieve Together
By partnering with Project IMPACT 2.0, sponsors and investigators can improve scientific rigor, enhance real-world confidence in product performance, reduce disparities in access to innovation, and build lasting trust with diverse communities.
Project IMPACT 2.0 is a national effort to make clinical research more inclusive, more effective, and more trusted. Partner with the National Medical Association to ensure the future of medicine reflects all patients.
