FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Nick Mansour
August 26, 2024 nmansour@choosehealthylife.org
Choose Healthy Life Joins Forces with EQBMED to Enhance Clinical Trial Diversity through Faith-Based Engagement
Choose Healthy Life (CHL), a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing health disparities through the Black church, proudly announces its new partnership with Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development (EQBMED), a groundbreaking program working to increase awareness of clinical trials and address misinformation and historical mistrust while ensuring trials are easily accessible. Led by Yale School of Medicine, along with Morehouse School of Medicine, the Research Centers in Minority Institutions Coordinating Center at Morehouse School of Medicine, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center — EQBMED has developed a collaborative approach, working with trusted voices within the community to address critical barriers facing communities of color and rural residents.
"Joining forces with EQBMED represents a monumental step towards bridging the gap between cutting-edge medical research and the communities most in need of these advancements," states Debra Fraser-Howze, Founder and Board Chair of Choose Healthy Life. "Our partnership is rooted in a shared vision of health equity and inclusivity. Through the engagement of our health navigators and the trust we've built within our communities, we're poised to make significant strides in increasing clinical trial diversity and, ultimately, achieving better health outcomes for all."
CHL was founded on the principles of faith and science and has been at the forefront of addressing health disparities within hard-to-reach communities through the support and resources provided to the Black church. By joining EQBMED, CHL is expanding its mission to include enhancing participation and representation in clinical trials, vital for ensuring that medical treatments and innovations are effective across all demographics.
“Our partnership with EQBMED is grounded in a shared commitment to dismantling barriers to clinical trials in historically underserved communities, said Rev. Kimberly L. Williams, Executive Director of Choose Healthy Life. “We bring a unique model of community health improvement, rooted in the deep trust and historic presence of the Black Church in our communities. By integrating CHL's faith-based approach with EQBMED's resources and expertise, we are uniquely positioned to make significant strides in advancing health equity. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this transformative endeavor. Together, we will build bridges of trust and access to medical research that can truly make a difference.”
By uniting a diverse group of community and faith-based organizations with professional societies, EQBMED is developing innovative strategies to engage community perspectives effectively in clinical trials.
"This collection of organizations is unique, with various focus areas brought together under one concentrated effort,” said Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, associate dean for health equity research and the C.N.H Long Professor of Internal Medicine, Public Health, and Management at Yale University, and member of Choose Healthy Life’s Medical Advisory Board. “With the collective knowledge, valued trust, and deep community ties of our partners, we are creating an accessible landscape for medical research and ultimately driving more equitable breakthroughs in health care."
This partnership not only signifies a critical advancement in the quest for equitable access to clinical trials but also highlights the power of community and faith-based organizations in transforming the landscape of medical research. With the combined efforts of these groups, the goal of creating a more inclusive landscape for medical research.
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About Choose Healthy Life
Choose Healthy Life (CHL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing health disparities through the Black church by funding, establishing and training a trusted faith-based health navigator to educate, deliver and connect the community to much needed health services. Founded in 2021 during the height of the COVID pandemic, Choose Healthy Life funded 120 churches across 13 states. Since, we’ve conducted over 8,900 events, vaccinated and tested over 250,000 individuals, and screened over 15,000 for comprehensive health measures & health risks. Today, CHL's health navigators are focused on addressing the underlying health inequities in their respective communities.
About Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development
Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development (EBQMED) is a pioneering partnership committed to transforming the landscape of clinical trials by advancing diversity, transparency, and knowledge. This collaborative, community-based partnership is led by Yale School of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, the Research Centers in Minority Institutions Coordinating Center at Morehouse School of Medicine, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and supported by grant funding from PhRMA. By empowering community-based sites and addressing historical disparities, the program is dedicated to creating a more inclusive future in medicine development.
About PhRMA
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. PhRMA has convened thousands of stakeholders to explore a new potential infrastructure with diverse communities, health systems, and academia that seeks to show proof of concept for a network of connected, community-rooted and sustainable trial sites. PhRMA provided a grant to Yale University to support the creation and development of this initiative. Learn more about PhRMA’s Equity Initiative at PhRMA.org/Equity