PhRMA CAREs Grant request for proposals: Addressing inequities in access to COVID-19 testing, therapeutics and vaccines

Conversations and healthy debate about issues facing our industry and the health care system are critical to addressing some of today’s challenges and opportunities. The Catalyst welcomes guest contributors, including patients, stakeholders, innovators and others, to share their perspectives and point of view.

Today, we are pleased to welcome a guest post from Kristin Williams, an intern in Policy, Research, and Membership at PhRMA focusing on health equity and access to medicines. Kristin is a Master of Public Health in Health Policy student at the George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Miami. Kristin previously worked as a Research Assistant in the School of Nursing at the University of Miami. Outside of the office, Kristin can be found hanging with her dogs or trying new recipes in the kitchen.

Tremendous progress has been made within the biopharmaceutical industry in advancing treatments and vaccines to fight COVID-19. But if people and communities are unable to benefit from these advancements equitably, how can we continue to move forward to end this epidemic?

COVID-19 has laid bare the deep-rooted, systemic racial inequities present in the United States. These longstanding inequities have continued to persist and are apparent in the racial inequities in access to COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and testing.

A recent report shows that in many urban cities across the United States, there are disparities in the availability of COVID-19 testing sites in majority Black and Hispanic neighborhoods. These access barriers demonstrate that inequities in access to care for Black and Brown populations can be compounded by place of residence. As an MPH student, addressing the inequities experienced by communities of color is a personal passion in and outside of the classroom. Interning at PhRMA during COVID-19 crisis has shown me the importance of addressing root causes of racial health inequities. 

PhRMA’s Health Equity Roundtable is soliciting proposals for grant funding that can be used to enhance efforts to improve equity in access to testing, therapeutics, and vaccines in communities hardest hit by COVID-19. 

To make strides in addressing these inequities, partnership with local communities that have experienced the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 must be a key component of the solution. Learning from and partnering with communities especially hard hit by COVID-19 is a critical step towards advancing equity in COVID-19 testing, therapeutics, and vaccines.

Applicants with selected proposals will each receive a grant from PhRMA in the range of $25,000 - $50,000. All organizations and individuals in the U.S. seeking to or currently engaging in community or national efforts or research to advance health equity are eligible to apply. 

Preference will be given to applicants representing historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), community organizations, faith-based organizations, businesses, and academic institutions with a history of providing resources and/or services to communities impacted by structural racism and discrimination. 

To apply for the PhRMA CAREs Grant, Addressing Inequities in Access to COVID19 Testing, Therapeutics, and Vaccines, applicants must submit a proposal in accordance with the requirements of the RFP by June 1, 2021 at 11:59 PM EST.  PhRMA will retain sole discretion to select the winning proposal(s).

To learn more information about eligibility, criteria, and how to submit an application please click here.

Learn more about PhRMA’s equity efforts, visit phrma.org/equity.