Systemic racism is as real as any disease, and our industry is not immune. This summer, in the wake of a national outcry for racial and social justice, our industry offered a firm stance – systemic racism is a disease. As a pharmacist and public health researcher whose motivation stems from advancing health equity – this statement makes me ponder the question, “How can our industry help break the harmful patterns of racial inequities?” One way PhRMA is advocating for health equity is through a Collaborative Actions to Reach Equity (CAREs) grant.
There’s never been a better time for the pharmaceutical industry to unlock and uncover ways to advance racial equity and address health disparities. The harmful reality is that racial and ethnic health inequities of today are rooted in a painful history. For African Americans and other communities of color, racism is lived day in and day out. From subtle stares and microaggressions while picking your children up from school to overt discriminatory practices, such as redlining and other discriminatory policies, racism in all forms has causative effects on health. For example, structural racism perpetuates the racial wealth gap and segregation of families. Given that access and utilization of health care services and prescription medicines also occur within the power dynamics of race, more research and policies are needed to improve equity in health care delivery.
Through a public health pharmacist lens, advancing equity in medication utilization and adherence is an urgent priority. Given the links between reduced medication adherence and poorer clinical health outcomes, there is an urgency to address root causes of inequity in pharmaceutical care access and delivery across all communities. Ample evidence has demonstrated that Black and Hispanic adults have lower medication utilization and adherence than their white counterparts.
In light of these inequities, PhRMA’s Health Equity Roundtable is offering grants through the CAREs program to solicit solutions that reduce racial and ethnic disparities in medication utilization and adherence.
We are seeking conceptual papers that respond to the following question:
- What are practical, scalable and community-focused approaches to address and ultimately close the gap on racial/ethnic disparities in medication utilization and adherence?
The selected proposal(s) will receive an unrestricted grant from PhRMA for $25,000. Please note that preference will be given to applicants from historically Black colleges and universities, community organizations, faith-based organizations, businesses or academic institutions with a history of providing resources and/or services to communities of color.
Closing the gap on health inequities in medication utilization and adherence requires an all hands-on deck approach. Consider partnering with us to advance multi-faceted solutions that promote equity at every level.
To apply for the PhRMA CAREs Grant, Addressing Racial Disparities in Medication Utilization and Adherence program, applicants must submit a letter of intent by December 14, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST.
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.
