Skin Deep: How Melanin Impacts Your Body’s Response To Drugs

January 11, 2026

This practice helps ensure that we’re receiving the best possible product — which, when taken appropriately, won’t cause us harm. This model has seemed to work well, but Sophie Zaaijer says that most of this research is overlooking one major variable – skin color.

Scientific research is becoming more inclusive, but one area that’s still lacking this diversity is pre-clinical research. Without knowing how medications will react to different ancestries and skin tones, millions of people are being put at risk. Our experts discuss the effect melanin has on a drug’s efficacy and changes the industry can implement right now that will make a big difference.

Guest Information:

Sophie Zaaijer, Molecular Biologist, Consultant for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Clinical Trials
Simon Groen, Assistant Professor of Evolutionary Systems Biology, University of California at Riverside

In general, after a drug enters the bloodstream it’s usually process by enzymes, which reduces its effectiveness… but this conversion is taken into account during the research process. However, Simon Groen says that the amount of melanin a person has can create even more change, which is almost never considered.