How Not to Talk about Racial Disparities in Cancer Outcomes

Routinely, in conversations about the disparities in cancer care between black and white patients, and the fact that black patients continue to experience worse outcomes, the same trite phrase inevitably comes up: “Oh, it’s because of their genes.” This sentiment—that worse outcomes in black patients are a result of their inherent genetic makeup, and not the health systems that serve them—has gained a damaging stronghold in public and private discourse.

Source: The BMJ Opinion