02/24/2026
When Black patients are excluded from research, the science fails everyone.
Reggie Bryant's 4-year-old daughter Bailey lives with eczema. Her flare-ups caused her to scratch until she bled. The steroid creams prescribed changed not just the texture of her skin, but the color, too. No one warned them this could happen.
Side effects don't always look the same on different skin tones, yet many eczema treatments are developed and tested without adequate representation of Black patients in clinical trials. The result? Families are left uninformed about risks that disproportionately affect them, like permanent skin discoloration from steroid creams.
This Black History Month, we're calling for change: more inclusive clinical trials, better dermatology training and full disclosure of risks for all patients.
Black patients deserve to be included in the research. Every family deserves to know the full risks before treatment begins. 💙
Read more experiences from NEA community members: https://nationaleczema.org/blog/black-skin-eczema/
