Walgreens launches clinical trial program to address access, diversity challenges

Walgreens announced today that it launched its clinical trial business to redefine patient experience and increase access in retention.

The company designed its flexible clinical trial model to combine its foundation of patient insights, partner-enabled health and technology capabilities and in-person and virtual care options with an aim to break through barriers to engaging broader and more diverse communities.

According to a news release, the introduction of Walgreens clinical trial offerings coincides with a recent push by the FDA to increase racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials.

Walgreens will use its patient reach and access to pharmacy and patient-authorized clinical data to proactively match diverse patient populations to trials across a range of disease areas based on race, gender, socioeconomic status and location. The company will also address access barriers through a compliant, validated and secure decentralized clinical trial platf…

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The Biden administration vows to increase COVID-19 antiviral supplies

Photo by Tabrez Syed on Unsplash

White House officials have a plan to ramp up the availability of Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid, according to a report from Bloomberg.

White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said that the administration would announce more details about the plans to make Paxlovid more widely available in the coming week.

The administration plans to launch a test-to-treat initiative that allows recently diagnosed COVID-19 patients to receive Paxlovid at no cost.

CVS, Walgreens and Walmart plan on participating in the program.

According to White House officials, the use of oral antivirals increased 103% between March 27 and April 10.

Anecdotal evidence from a handful of patients suggests that Paxlovid also may help relieve so-called long COVID-19 symptoms, according to Reuters. However, more data are needed to confirm the drug’s efficacy in re…

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