From leveraging existing resources to filling gaps with innovative tools, partnerships throughout the healthcare industry can help meet the needs of more patients and drive impact in an accelerated way.

In this episode, Eric Racine is joined by Vicky DiBiaso, Global Head of Patient Informed Development and Health Value Translation at Sanofi, and Sara Loud from the Accelerated Cure Project, to discuss the transformative efforts of the Patient Advocacy Leaders in Drug Development Industry Network, also known as Paladin. Paladin is driving collaboration across biopharmaceutical companies and patient advocacy groups to help advance the development of life-saving treatments. They examine the challenges and opportunities in transforming healthcare innovation, with an emphasis on speed, inclusivity and collaboration.

David Panzirer, a trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust, discovered his calling when his daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). A businessperson at his core, David views healthcare grants as investments, and his team continuously develops a deep understanding of the ecosystem as a key success factor to maximize their impact. Learn from one of the most significant players in the field of venture philanthropy, his team’s portfolio approach to healthcare investments, and their singular focus to improve people’s lives living with disease. Sanofi host Eric Racine and co-host Andrew Vilcinskas – a T1D patient himself – discuss with David the intersection of advocacy, philanthropy and business.

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust is a global philanthropy committed to helping people live better lives today and creating stronger, healthier futures for individuals and communities. They partner with people and organizations to invest in new ideas or research across six program areas. The Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) program is dedicated to helping the global T1D community live safer, better, and more fulfilling lives today while funding advancements in research and technology for a better tomorrow.

To help make an impact for patients, it's important to have a comprehensive understanding of how a disease impacts their day-to-day lives. Michael Osso, Chief Executive Officer of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation knows this well. He and his team created a comprehensive research ecosystem that harnesses data– from reported anecdotes to clinical data, biosamples and more – to help researchers, patients, advocates and care teams get a holistic view of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and drive advancements in the space.

Sanofi host, Eric Racine and co-host Michael George discuss with him the importance of taking on such a large-scale project – one step at a time – and the dedication to building patient level data to inspire and accelerate research innovations for patients with IBD.

Patient advocacy groups have become a powerful force engaging with clinical researchers. The National Bleeding Disorders Foundation (NBDF) has been one of the best at driving a research agenda that matters to patients, yet they still saw areas for improvement. Maria Santaella, Vice President of Research Strategy at NBDF, realized the importance of including patient voices at the very start of and throughout the research process. This is what it takes to ensure researchers understand the unmet needs and complications people live with every day. Learn how NBDF evolved from supporting researchers to ensuring that the lived experience of people affected by bleeding disorders is truly at the center of research. In this episode, Sanofi host Eric Racine and co-host Jane Smith discuss with Maria how to get to the next level of integrating patient voices and evidence into research.

What does it take to grow a patient advocacy group from the ground up to become a driving force for patients in the US? Learn how Julie Block, President and CEO of the National Eczema Association (NEA), defined a bold long-term vision and learned to trust her team to stay true to the plan. Defining a five-year strategic blueprint, NEA took a broad view of stakeholders throughout the healthcare ecosystem, enabling them to set bold goals for what could be achieved through partnerships. Julie’s personal growth as a leader blends humility with fearlessness. In this episode, Sanofi host Eric Racine and co-host Nick Taylor discuss with Julie the challenges, successes, and strategic planning that goes into successfully leading a patient advocacy group while keeping values at the forefront.

What does it take to improve access to specialty care for vulnerable and underserved populations? What if the starting point is a complete lack of specialty care services? When Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Northeast Business Group on Health, was told there was no cancer or specialty care on Native American reservations, her first reaction was shock, then it quickly turned to advocacy and action. After years of hard work and perseverance, the first cancer center on native land was opened on the Navajo Nation, whose more than 40K members comprise the largest federally recognized tribe in the United States. Sanofi host Eric Racine and co-host Elizabeth Franklin discuss with Kim how she helped bring cancer care tailored to the needs of the Navajo Nation. It’s an incredible story of listening, empathy, relentless dedication, and a promise kept.

Cancer can be an isolating condition, so Meredith Cowden has made it her mission to ensure other patients are not alone. Meredith, a cancer survivor living with chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD), responded to adversity by forming the Meredith A. Cowden Foundation with her family to support and advocate for fellow transplant patients. The key to Meredith’s success is her ability to advocate and form a successful alliance of advocacy groups that strengthens their ability to help and advocate for the cGVHD community. In this episode, Sanofi host Eric Racine and co-host Angie Bricco discuss with Meredith the keys to forming successful advocacy group alliances that encourage communication and collaboration to effectively help meet patient needs.

Impact is a word we often use in patient advocacy. We know it’s important to the patients and communities being served, and that it also matters to the funders of advocacy programs. But how do you capture impact, when do you start, where does the information come from, and how should it be communicated? Sanofi host Eric Racine and co-host Elizabeth Franklin discuss this with our guest, Aicha Diallo, patient advocacy leader and senior director of programs at the Patient Empowerment Network (PEN), shares a methodology for capturing and communicating the impact of advocacy programs. Learn how PEN listens to the needs of their audience, involves patients and community partners in defining impact, and creates a process for ongoing data collection. Access to the right data enables clear communications with their important stakeholders. Aicha’s impressive public health background and unique ability to keep a finger on the pulse of the communities she serves equips her with a wealth of knowledge that she shares in this episode.