FDA Office of Minority Health and Health Equity
April 12, 2021
 Vaccine Ready: Addressing COVID-19 Health Disparities among Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities
By: RADM Richardae Araojo, Pharm.D., M.S., Associate Commissioner for Minority Health and Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, and Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research
Each April we celebrate National Minority Health Month and this year’s theme is “Vaccine Ready.” There are many questions about how we effectively diagnose, treat, and prevent COVID-19, which continues to disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minority communities, Tribal communities, and other diverse groups. Many Black and Hispanic Americans have been getting vaccinated against COVID-19 at lower rates than white Americans, but are more likely to contract COVID-19, be hospitalized, and die from the disease.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been working around the clock with our U.S. government partners, our international partners, and medical product manufacturers to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The issuance of emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for three new COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen were welcomed milestones. Issuing these EUAs is a major public health step to help end this pandemic, but we know many communities have questions about the safety and efficacy of these vaccines. Unfortunately, many racial and ethnic minorities continue to also be the target of misinformation and disinformation related to COVID-19.
Visit the FDA OMHHE website and follow us on Twitter at @FDAHealthEquity
"Creating a world where health equity is a reality for all."
www.fda.gov/HealthEquity
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