This report aims to raise the profile of discussions that have been taking place regarding community understanding and involvement in COVID-19 vaccine research.

Breaking Barriers: Surveying Community Perspectives on COVID-19 Vaccine Research presents the results of an online survey developed by TAG, along with the Black AIDS Institute and the COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network in the fall of 2020 seeking community perspectives on COVID-19 vaccine development. Three hundred and 306 responses from infectious disease community advocates, service providers, and other key community representatives were received. The survey captured data on community knowledge and trust in vaccine development; overall, survey responses demonstrated that there remains an urgent need to develop robust community engagement strategies with a racial equity framework that focuses on addressing medical mistrust.

Half of the Black respondents to the survey do not believe they will benefit as much as white people from COVID-19 vaccine research, and over sixty percent said they strongly believe they are underrepresented in clinical research overall. These responses demonstrate the urgent need for more people of color leading medical research and for robust community engagement strategies with a racial equity framework that focuses on addressing medical mistrust.