Reconsidering Race and Clinical Algorithms (Plenary)-Reconsidering Race Plenary-Reconsidering How Race is Used in Medicine

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In this document, Dr. David S. Jones discusses the use of race in medicine and calls for a reconsideration of its role. He highlights the historical use of race in medical practices, dating back to the discovery of X-rays in 1895. He also mentions the introduction of race-based tools such as risk calculators and treatment guidelines, which were often implemented without thorough discussion or modeling.<br /><br />Dr. Jones proposes a new strategy for addressing the issue of race in medicine. Instead of focusing on the details of each tool, he suggests critiquing the fundamental premises of race correction, such as the reliance on a simplistic Black-white distinction. He calls for the development of better categories to characterize human variations and the increased use of markers of ancestry or exposure to racism.<br /><br />While acknowledging the complexities and challenges involved, Dr. Jones emphasizes the importance of improving socioeconomic status (SES) markers. He suggests utilizing markers that describe multiple aspects of lived experience, longitudinal datasets, and sophisticated analyses to better understand the relationship between SES and health outcomes.<br /><br />Dr. Jones concludes by stating that despite the difficulties, the scientific community has the resources and capabilities to make these changes. He believes that by challenging the use of race in medicine and improving social determinants of health, healthcare professionals can provide better care for their patients.

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David S. Jones, M.D., Ph.D.

Keywords

race in medicine

role of race

historical use of race in medicine

race-based tools

risk calculators

treatment guidelines

critiquing race correction

human variations

markers of ancestry

socioeconomic status markers