Sanofi honors 10 advocacy organizations promoting health equity solutions in underserved U.S. communities

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Nov 02, 2023, 12:15 ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi has announced the winners of its 2023 Health Equity Accelerator Awards, honoring 10 nonprofit organizations that exemplify the company's ambition to provide equitable access to healthcare using innovative solutions for hard-to-solve health disparities.

The winning advocacy organizations, announced at Sanofi's Trust, Inclusion, and Equity Summit, serve a diverse range of communities, geographies and patient populations in the United States. Each will receive $50,000 from Sanofi, in addition to being able to leverage the global healthcare company's expertise through this partnership. This approach, aligned with our A Million Conversations initiative and successfully pioneered by Sanofi in 2022, supports organizations that build trust with underserved patients, while helping ensure that equity efforts are driven by the needs and experiences of diverse communities.

Eric Racine
PharmD, MBA, Vice President & Head, US Public Affairs & Patient Advocacy, Sanofi
"Sanofi believes that supporting and partnering with US advocacy groups that are experts on health equity in their own communities is key to our goal of helping as many people as possible benefit from the tremendous advances underway in science and medicine. This year's Health Equity Accelerator Awards recipients are a diverse group of healthcare champions whose innovation and unwavering commitment to reducing health disparities set inspiring examples for the entire healthcare industry."

In all, 116 advocacy organizations across the US applied to the program, exceeding Sanofi's expectations. Applications were evaluated by a panel consisting of health equity thought leaders from outside the company and US leaders from within Sanofi. They were judged on whether applications reflected a clear understanding of the challenge, a focus on specific underserved populations, a well-defined action plan with concrete objectives and deliverables, innovative approaches to reach and support patients, and metrics to capture and communicate impact.

Mike McAtee
Executive Director, USA Boxing
"USA Boxing events are held around the country every weekend, with many held in underserved communities that lack access to vaccines and other educational health information. Augmenting our ability to provide this help and information to our members is a massive benefit to our organization and the people we serve. Winning the 2023 Sanofi Health Equity Accelerator Award is like starting a bout already ahead on points – it is a tremendous honor."

Connecting Health Equity Advocates
In addition to the Health Equity Accelerator Awards, Sanofi also has launched a health equity Community of Practice so advocacy groups can connect, share best practices, and accelerate the impact of their programs on underserved populations. The goal is to enable patient groups focused on disparities in different therapeutic areas to learn from each other on important topics such as building trust, leveraging artificial intelligence, and offering culturally accessible resources, and it allows Sanofi to continue learning from and supporting our partners.

To celebrate the advocacy groups working to advance health equity, Sanofi will host a special event, Health Equity Heroes: Advocates Making a Difference, on January 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. Honorees will include the 10 winning organizations from this year, the winners from 2022, and other US advocacy groups that are helping to improve the health of underserved patients.

2023 Health Equity Accelerator Award Winners:

Therapeutic Area	Organization	Program
Hemophilia care for women, girls, and people with potential menstruation	CHES Foundation	Hermanas de Sangre will provide culturally relevant support for Hispanic women, girls, and people with potential to menstruate with bleeding disorders through a national program focused on increasing visibility and building connections.
Hemophilia education and support for people in rural areas	Texas Central Bleeding Disorders	TexCen Connects will create a personalized cost-effective support network for rural families in North Texas and train local healthcare providers on how to provide resources for those affected by rare bleeding disorders.
Influenza immunization in underserved communities for adults aged 50+ with chronic conditions	USA Boxing	Coaching You Up! KO Flu and Covid will engage and communicate with seniors about influenza risks and the benefits of vaccination by utilizing boxing events in historically disadvantaged communities.
RSV education for infant protection in underserved communities	American Lung Association	Raising Awareness of RSV in Spanish-Speaking Populations aims to empower communities in El Paso, Miami, and San Antonio to confidently recognize RSV symptoms and take steps to prevent viral spread.
Lung Cancer innovative navigation services for biomarker testing and personalized treatment in underserved communities	GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer	Navegando Contra el Cancer de Pulmón: Spanish Patient Navigation will expand the LungMATCH Navigation program to empower and provide support to the Hispanic/Latinx population in Miami. This service will assist patients and caregivers by clarifying treatment options, providing biomarker testing education, and identifying clinical trial options.
Multiple Myeloma innovative navigation services for treatment decisions in underserved communities	International Myeloma Foundation	Shared Decision Making will create a navigation tool for nurses to provide personalized care, reduce racial disparities, improve access to care, and ultimately enhance outcomes, while also improving trust and engagement in treatment decisions for African American and Hispanic patients.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) awareness and earlier diagnosis in communities of color and rural areas	Rocky Mountain MS Center	Rural Engagement Program targets the barriers in MS diagnosis and care in rural Colorado. This campaign expands on an innovative pilot program focusing on early symptom recognition, diagnosis, and access to treatment while emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive approach to MS care and lifelong brain health.
Specialty Medicine availability for those in underserved communities to see specialist healthcare professionals	Champions for Health	Project Access San Diego provides support services for uninsured patients and a referral pathway to high-demand specialty physicians who can provide pro bono care and procedures. By intervening in care before people need the emergency room, PASD improves health outcomes and quality of life for their majority Hispanic/Latinx patient population.
Type 1 Diabetes awareness and antibody screening for underserved communities of color	Diversity in Diabetes	Type 1 Navigator Campaign will promote equal access to type 1 diabetes information, by targeting young adults at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through digital content, social media campaigns, and partnerships with on-campus communities.
Transplant stem cell and kidney donations and transplantation treatment option awareness in communities of color	Sick Cells	Transplant Equity and Awareness for Sickle Cell Disease will address low stem cell donation and the underutilization of Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) treatment. This multi-organization partnership strives to lead an educational awareness program targeting Black and Hispanic communities in the US.
Additional quotes available upon request.

About Sanofi
We are an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives. Our team, across some 100 countries, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the center of our ambitions.

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