If 2020 was the year of the coronavirus pandemic, it was also the year when Black Live Matters went global, forcing society to acknowledge uncomfortable truths and about systemic inequality. Health care was no exception.
“Recognition of health inequities is not new, but the COVID-19 pandemic has helped bring this issue to the surface in a clear way, and we need to address it and find solutions to make sure everyone, despite their location, ethnicity, income, insurance, or socio-economic status, is able to access health care in a more equitable way,” said Gwen Nichols, chief medical officer of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “As a hematologist/oncologist I am pained when I hear that people have to choose between the food on the table and their medical care, having to delay or avoid their medical screenings and life-saving treatments because they cannot pay for them. All the innovative treatments that we are funding and developing are only beneficial if people can actually access them. As we head into 2021, there is an urgency to address the issue of health inequities and a strong commitment from all members of the health care industry to find solutions that will allow equitable access. Together, we have the ability to tackle this, but our passion cannot wane and our mission cannot be diverted until it is solved.”
“For too long, clinical trial participants have not been representative of the broader patient population. With COVID-19 bringing the challenges diverse patients face into sharper focus, the industry must take more action to address health equity,” said Alexander Hardy, CEO of Genentech, Inc.. He pointed out that Genentech had rapidly designed a launched a clinical study in COVID-19 pneumonia in which around 85% of patients were people of color, “proving that including underrepresented groups in clinical trials is not only possible, but that it can be done quickly, even during a pandemic.
“In 2021, we must be ambassadors of the industry standards set for inclusive clinical research and come together to make bold changes that advance health equity for all people," Hardy said. "We will build trust with patient communities to better understand their experiences, their needs and the obstacles that have prevented participation in clinical trials. In response, we will take action – ranging from taking trials into the community to making significant philanthropic investments – to address these obstacles, provide support and enable access for communities of color.”
“In 2021, I believe we will see more innovation around access to health care, including an increased focus on implementation science and addressing health disparities among people of color and other marginalized communities. These more creative approaches to health care will ensure we are better prepared for future pandemics while continuing to find creative solutions for other public health crises, like HIV,” said Lynn Baxter, head of North America at ViiV Healthcare.
“In 2021, society will challenge our companies to collaborate more as innovators and corporate citizens when addressing what matters to them,” said Doug Langa, executive vice president, North America Operations and president of Novo Nordisk. He believes this goes beyond just developing more medicines, faster. “The pandemic should propel us to really make fighting chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes national priorities because we saw how people with these conditions, especially within communities of color, were hit hard. That includes doing better at calling out and reducing the disparities that may prevent people from getting the care they need and working across the public and private sectors to create meaningful change.”
For more predictive content, visit our Outlook 2021 pages: invivo.pharmaintelligence. informa.com/outlook