Patient Advocacy Voices
Patient advocacy is a critical area in healthcare that is transforming the lives of patients across the country by helping them overcome barriers to access and care. Join Sanofi US Head of Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy, Eric Racine, and his co-hosts to meet some of the unsung heroes leading patient advocacy organizations. In each episode, we will discuss the challenges each group has faced and share actionable insights to address gaps and help make the U.S. healthcare system work better for patients. Whether you're a seasoned advocate or new to the field, we hope this podcast will open your mind to new ideas and inspire action. Subscribe now and become part of a community dedicated to making a difference for patients. This podcast is provided as a resource only and does not constitute an endorsement by Sanofi of any particular organization or its programming. Additional resources on this topic may be available and should be investigated.
Episodes
What does it take to make sure innovation, policy, and public health actually work for older adults? Too often, patients and caregivers face a hard path from diagnosis to treatment, shaped by Medicare complexity, out-of-pocket costs, communication gaps, and administrative barriers that get in the way of care.
In this episode of Patient Advocacy Voices, host Eric Racine is joined by co-host Katie Oppenheim, Head of US Government Rela...
When someone is diagnosed with cancer, the expectation is that care begins quickly and smoothly. In reality, many patients and caregivers find themselves navigating a complicated system, juggling access barriers, approvals, and logistics before treatment even begins.
In this episode of Patient Advocacy Voices, host Eric Racine is joined by Meagan O’Neill, Executive Director of the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC), alongside...
A highly respected patient advocacy organization with a trusted identity and decades of impact made a bold decision to change – the reasons behind this decision matter for every organization.
For many advocacy leaders, brand identity is deeply tied to trust and recognition. But as science evolves and patients’ needs become more complex, organizations must ask themselves: are we reaching all the patients we’re meant to serve?
In this...
How can patient advocacy leaders ensure that artificial intelligence truly serves the people it is meant to help?
As AI rapidly reshapes the healthcare system, patient advocates have both an opportunity and responsibility to influence how these technologies are designed, governed, and implemented to transform patient health.
In this episode of Patient Advocacy Voices, host Eric Racine welcomes back Randy Rutta, President and CEO of t...
How do we rebuild trust in vaccines when fear and misinformation stand in the way, especially for autistic individuals and their families?
In this episode of Patient Advocacy Voices, host Eric Racine is joined by co-host Heather Entenmann, U.S. Public Health Engagement Lead at Sanofi, for a thoughtful conversation on vaccine confidence, trust, and inclusion. Together, they welcome two leading voices in public health and advocacy: Da...
2025 was a year of transformative change and opportunity across the patient advocacy community, Sanofi, and for patients.
In this special year-end episode, host Eric Racine, joined by Adam Gluck, Head of U.S. & Global Specialty Care Corporate Affairs, and all Sanofi Season 2 co-hosts, revisit the most powerful conversations and lessons from the 2025 season while exploring the year’s defining theme, transformation. We are living...
What does it take to move from patient-centric talk to patient-driven action?
In this episode, we go inside Sanofi’s Patient Community Promise, a commitment to truly integrate patients throughout every part of its global organization.
Host Eric Racine is joined by Sanofi co-hosts from around the world: Kersten Sharrock, Amy Akers-Teets, Catherine Coulouvrat, and Nick Taylor. They share how the Patient Community Promise was co-create...
Evolving for Impact: How March of Dimes Adapted Beyond Polio to Tackle Today’s Healthcare Challenges
How does an advocacy organization with a historic legacy transform and lead on the most pressing issues facing its constituents today?
Host Eric Racine and co-host Robin Johnson sit down with Cindy Rahman, President & CEO, and Erin Jones, Senior Director Legislative & Strategic Counsel, at March of Dimes. From its historic role in eradicating polio to its modern fight for the health of all moms and babies, March of Dimes ev...
When patients are living with a misunderstood condition, and healthcare providers may not always have the answers, advocacy organizations have the power to step in and help close the gaps. In this episode, host Eric Racine and co-host Elizabeth Franklin sit down with Caroline Kruse, President & CEO of the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PDSA), whose personal experience with ITP, a rare autoimmune disease, profoundly shap...
Successful patient advocacy groups often start with a simple but powerful question: What do our patients need that no one else is delivering? The CHES Foundation took this approach head on, turning gaps in care, education, and belonging into innovative, measurable programs for the rare bleeding disorders community.
In this episode, host Eric Racine and co-host Jane Smith sit down with Janet Brewer, Co-Founder & Executive Directo...
In this episode of Patient Advocacy Voices, host Eric Racine and co-host Marco DeThomasis, People Business Partner, Specialty Care at Sanofi, sit down with Schroeder Stribling, President & CEO of Mental Health America (MHA). Together, they explore how data, early intervention, and workplace culture can help address America’s growing mental health crisis.
From national trends to practical tools, this conversation blends strategy ...
Why do life-changing medical innovations often struggle to reach the patients who need them most? In this episode of Patient Advocacy Voices, Esther Krofah of the Milken Institute moderates a powerful conversation with senior Sanofi leaders across immunology, vaccines, diabetes, and policy on the systemic barriers that stand between scientific breakthroughs and ensuring access for patients in need. The conversation was recorded in ...
How do you drive awareness for a rare disease with a name that’s difficult to even pronounce and a wide range of symptoms that mimic other conditions?
In this episode, host Eric Racine and co-host Preeya George-Guiser sit down with Mary Jo Strobel, Executive Director of the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED), about the organization’s strategic approach to rare disease advocacy.
Mary Jo shares how APFED blends cre...
How will the shifting U.S. healthcare policy landscape impact patients? It’s an important topic that many patient advocates are thinking about today.
This month’s special episode features a thought-provoking panel discussion recorded during the Sanofi Patient Advocacy Council meeting in Washington, D.C., where panelists dove into this topic. Adam Gluck, SVP and Head, U.S. and Specialty Care Corporate Affairs at Sanofi moderated...
Get ready for an inspiring conversation about the power of passion, purpose, and partnerships in evolving patient advocacy to meet the changing needs of a community! In this episode, Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association, shares insights from his incredible 46-year journey with the organization. Harold reveals how the American Lung Association grew successful regional initiatives into powerful, national ...
Patient Advocacy Voices is dedicated to helping US advocacy groups strengthen capabilities in service to patients and their mission. Season 2 continues and will provide deeper insights and more pragmatic tips from patient advocacy leaders and visionaries.
In this special episode to start the new season, host Eric Racine is joined by all his Sanofi co-hosts from Season 1 to recall the powerful stories and lessons learned from advoca...
With more than 100 years of experience, the National Health Council knows how to bring patient advocacy groups and other organizations together to advocate for patients’ interests. How do they stay at the forefront of a patient-focused US healthcare system? They innovate and collaborate.
In this episode, Sanofi host Eric Racine and cohost, Demi Anastasiades, lead of US Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy for Immunology at Sanofi,...
When it comes to meeting healthcare’s biggest challenges, sometimes the best approach begins with curiosity. Dr. Jean Wright, MD, MPH, Chief Executive Officer of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Foundation, has made an immense impact on the COPD community and knows firsthand how to bring new solutions that move the needle for poorly understood patient communities.
In this episode, Sanofi host Eric Racine is joined ...
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 ef...
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...
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