Collaboration strives for diversity in clinical trial
Walgreens and pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim announced a strategic collaboration aimed at optimizing recruitment and making clinical trials more accessible, inclusive and equitable.
Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry’s top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies in areas of high unmet medical need.
The collaboration will offer people an opportunity to learn about and potentially participate in an important Phase III clinical trial within the familiar and accessible environment of Walgreens pharmacies, reflecting a shared vision to expand access to healthcare and research.
Boehringer Ingelheim will leverage select Walgreens community pharmacies as clinical trial sites for people living with obesity, overweight and type 2 diabetes. The effort aims to dismantle barriers, improve access, and address equitable health representation in clinical trials, especially among Black and Hispanic adults who are more likely to have obesity in the U.S. and have historically been underrepresented.
“Embracing our pharmacy clinical trial centers in this study underscores our joint commitment to community health and innovation,” said Ramita Tandon, Chief Clinical Trials Officer at Walgreens. “This model not only provides foundational education on clinical research for patients but also empowers individuals, offering them a new pathway to engage in their healthcare through clinical trial participation. It’s a step forward in transforming the landscape of clinical research, helping to make clinical trials more inclusive and accessible.”
Additionally, Boehringer is partnering with EmVenio Research to complement this initiative by introducing mobile research units to extend reach and provide additional options for participation.
It is estimated that over 1 billion people in the world live with obesity, and numbers are continuing to rise, with an estimated 24% of the entire world population affected by 2035. Obesity is included among cardiovascular, renal and metabolic (C-R-M) diseases, and, collectively, these are the leading cause of death worldwide.
“At EmVenio, we believe that innovation is meaningful and access to clinical trial research should be universal. Our partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim exemplifies our commitment to breaking down barriers and expanding access to transformative healthcare solutions,” says Thad Wolfram, President, EmVenio Research.