Dr. Summer Dewdney & John McIlwain explore pharmaceutical efforts to increase diversity in clinical trials with Neha Shah Londono, formerly from Seagen, now Pfizer.  Ms. Londono emphasized that the pharmaceutical industry is very focused on improving diversity in clinical trials to insure that the data coming out of trials truly reflects the health needs of the world's population.  

Mistrust in our healthcare system or failure to inform patients, what is the cause of lack of diversity in clinical trials in America?  Dr. Patricia Robinson and John McIlwain explore this question with Dr.  Kent Hoskins from the University of Illinois Cancer Center.  Dr. Hoskins has been a key research partner and supporter of Equal Hope from our earliest days.  As our medical and pharmaceutical industries grapple with how to create greater diversity in clinical trials to get to better testing and treatment results, we must first acknowledge and confront the inherent causes of our lack of diversity. Dr. Hoskins discusses not only trials for treatment protocols, but the importance of diversity in understanding tumor biomarkers.  

John McIlwain and Shari Runner interview Cristal Gary, the new CEO of Meridian Health Plans.  Meridian Health Plan is owned by a Centene, a major healthcare provider.  Cristal's role is to manage and oversee the publicly insured program for Meridian/Centene.  

Dr. David Ansell & John McIlwain talk to Dr. Matthew Notowidigdo from UChicago's Booth School of Business.  Matt is a Healthcare Economist looking at disparities in health outcomes and America's funding mechanism for healthcare.  Although Dr. Ansell & Dr. Notowidigdo did not know each other before this recording, as a Social Epidemiologist, Dr. Ansell found common ground in Dr. Notowidigdo's research and writing about the Social Determinants of Health.  Another fascinating conversation for you to join.  

Harriet Washington, Bio Ethicist from Columbia University in New York City and author on medical ethics quotes Philosopher Alfred North Whitehead saying "The progress of civilization is not a wholly uniform drift towards better things."  Some times we need to hit "pause" or go back a few steps to correct things.  
This statement becomes the backbone of the conversation between John McIlwain, Dr. Summer Dewdney and Ms. Harriet Washington.  

Dr. Patricia Robinson and John McIlwain discuss the important issue of Diversity in Clinical Trails with Dr. Eddilisa Martin, owner and founder of M&B Sciences. Diversity in Clinical trials is becoming a more and more important topic as we address the impact of Systemic Racism in our Healthcare System.  If trials to identify biomarkers or test new drugs exclude lived experiences from major segments of the American population, we are never going to truly get to equitable healthcare in this country.  

John McIlwain and Shari Runner talk with Diana Alvarez, NorthShore University HealthSystem's Community Health Equity Liaison.  Diana explains the importance of health equity as a driver of NorthShore's key priorities.  In addition, Diana shares personal stories that make the issue of healthcare so important for all of us. 

John McIlwain and Mary Richardson-Lowry talk to Felicia Blakley, the President & CEO of the Chicago Foundation for Women, about the Foundation's beginning, its growth under Felicia's leadership and the challenges and opportunities that it sees ahead.