A COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE RESEARCH

Ovarian Cancer Action are proud to have added our name to a new joint statement championing better inclusion of older people in health and care research. Led by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), this commitment is signed by a coalition of UK charities and funders who are concerned that older people are being unfairly left behind.

This statement reflects a growing awareness that older adults, especially those living with multiple long-term conditions, have been consistently underrepresented in research that directly affects their care and quality of life.

The joint statement sets out a shared commitment to:

• Champion the inclusion of older adults in research
• Challenge unfair exclusions, especially when older adults have more complex health needs
• Design research with equity at its core, so it truly reflects the UK’s diverse population

For us, this isn’t just about fairness. It’s about making our research more meaningful and impactful. We know that ovarian cancer affects older women more, and yet, often it’s their voices and experiences missing from the studies that shape future treatments and policies. By signing this commitment, we’re reinforcing what has long been a priority for us: that the realities of ageing must be fully represented in the research we fund and support.

Across the UK there is variation in the access older patients have to treatments for ovarian cancer. Researchers from our IMPROVE UK programme recently found that older women can respond just as well to chemotherapy as their younger cohort, but are much less likely to receive it. We are continuing to identify and tackle these inequalities head on.

This joint statement sends a clear signal that exclusion based on age or complexity of health needs is no longer acceptable - and that research must be designed with equity, diversity, and lived experience at its heart.

We’re pleased to stand with our peers across the medical research community in this shared commitment.