Compliance explainerUpdated September 28, 2026

What a Diversity Action Plan actually requires

A Diversity Action Plan (DAP) is the enrollment plan FDORA requires for most pivotal drug trials and device IDE studies: goals for age, sex, race and ethnicity, the sponsor's rationale for those goals, and how the sponsor plans to meet them. This guide covers what is actually required today and how an EDC supports tracking enrollment against it.

  • FDORA statutory requirement since 2022
  • Phase 3 and pivotal studies, plus device IDEs
  • By-site enrollment tracking built in

Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned

Participant funnel
Identified40
Consented31
Enrolled26
Randomized22

Site risk

Site 03 needs attention

Action items

2 overdue

2022

FDORA created the statutory Diversity Action Plan requirement

4

demographic categories a DAP sets goals for: age, sex, race, ethnicity

Phase 3

or other pivotal study, is generally when a drug DAP applies

By-site

enrollment filtering and export, already in Capture

The requirement

What FDORA actually requires

The Food and Drug Omnibus Reform Act of 2022 (FDORA) added a statutory requirement that sponsors of certain clinical studies submit a Diversity Action Plan to FDA: a document setting enrollment goals for the trial's target population by age group, sex, race and ethnicity, the sponsor's rationale for those goals, and the plan for meeting them. For drugs, this generally applies to a Phase 3 study or other pivotal clinical study; for devices, it goes in the IDE application.

  • Enrollment goals broken out by age group, sex, race and ethnicity.
  • A written rationale for why those goals fit the disease and target population.
  • A plan for how sites will actually meet the goals, not just state them.
Data and exports
Clinical data (codes + labels)Data dictionaryAnnotated CRFSAS transport (XPT)E2B safetyAudit trail
SUBJECGPERF_CODEECGPERF_LABEL
01-001YYes
01-002NDNot done

Where the guidance stands

The statute is settled. The implementing guidance is not

This is the part that actually moves, so confirm it directly before you finalize a plan.

The statutory requirement itself

FDORA's DAP requirement is law; it has not been repealed.

FDA's draft implementing guidance

FDA published revised draft guidance on DAP format and content on June 26, 2024, and said compliance would begin 180 days after a final version is published.

Where that guidance stands now

FDA removed the draft guidance from its website without public explanation, reported in July 2026, following an executive order on federal DEI policy. Final guidance and an effective date are not confirmed as of this writing.

What this means for your plan

Confirm current requirements directly with FDA or regulatory counsel before finalizing a DAP; do not rely on this page as your compliance source.

The EDC side

The tracking a DAP needs, without a dedicated DAP feature

Capture does not have a button labeled Diversity Action Plan. What it has are the underlying pieces most sponsors actually use to track enrollment against DAP-style goals: demographic fields captured through standard question types at screening, by-site data filtering, and CSV/Excel exports you can cut by whatever field you captured.

  • Single choice, multiple choice and date-of-birth question types capture the demographic fields a DAP tracks.
  • By-site filtering, so a coordinating team can see enrollment against goals per site, not just overall.
  • CSV/Excel exports with an automatic data dictionary, filterable by date range and site.
See the CRF builder
Add subject · Step 1 of 3

Start screening

Screen new subject

Not screened before

Rescreen subject

Needs a new screening number

ICF date

14-Sep-2026

Year of birth

1971

Sex

Female

Next screening numberS-0014

Before you switch

What sponsors ask before building enrollment tracking on a new platform

Cost

Demographic question types, by-site filtering and exports are part of every plan, including the free sandbox.

Compliance

Capture does not verify or certify a DAP's content. It gives you the enrollment data and by-site views to support building and tracking one; confirm final DAP requirements with FDA or regulatory counsel.

Setup time

Demographic fields are standard question types, added the same way as any other CRF field.

Migration

Bring an existing study's enrollment tracking across without losing history.

Support

Email support, typically under 24 hours, plus documentation on Enterprise.

Set up enrollment tracking before you finalize your plan

Free sandbox with every feature. No credit card, no sales call.

Set up enrollment tracking free

FAQ

Questions teams ask before they switch

Something not covered here? Ask us directly.

What is a Diversity Action Plan (DAP)?

A DAP is the enrollment plan FDORA requires for many pivotal drug trials and device IDE studies: goals for age, sex, race and ethnicity, the rationale behind them, and how the sponsor plans to meet them.

Is a Diversity Action Plan still legally required?

The statutory requirement from FDORA (2022) has not been repealed. FDA's implementing draft guidance was removed from its website in 2026, so confirm current requirements directly with FDA or regulatory counsel.

Does Capture have a dedicated Diversity Action Plan feature?

No. Capture provides demographic question types, by-site filtering and exports that support tracking enrollment against DAP-style goals, not a labeled DAP module.

Which studies need a DAP?

Generally, a Phase 3 or other pivotal drug study, or a device study under an IDE application, per the FDORA statute. Check current FDA guidance for exact thresholds and any exceptions.

What happened to FDA's draft DAP guidance?

It was removed from FDA's website without public explanation, reported in July 2026, following an executive order on federal DEI policy. The status of a final guidance is unconfirmed as of this writing.

How do I track enrollment against DAP goals in Capture?

Capture demographic fields with standard question types at screening, then use by-site filtering and CSV/Excel exports to check enrollment against your stated goals.

Can I try this before deciding?

Yes. The free sandbox includes every feature with sample data, no credit card required.

Set up enrollment tracking before you finalize your plan

Free sandbox with every feature. No credit card, no sales call.

Set up enrollment tracking free