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Background: Although the Tuskegee Syphilis Study may be on the mind of many Blacks and minorities it does fully explain why Blacks continue to participate in low numbers in clinical research and trials. Low minority participation in clinical research is concerning for both research and for the public health.

Objective: The aim of this project was to investigate barriers and successes in minority participation in cancer medical research and cancer clinical trials. More specifically to: (1) determine major environmental, cultural, and economic barriers confronted by minority patients with cancer; and (2) determine the components of an environment that supports greater recruitment and retention of minorities to Clinical Community Oncology Practice (CCOP) cancer studies.

Methods: 6 focus groups consisting of 8–12 current of former minority cancer patients and 18 health care practitioners, from geographically …