How Pfizer is working to break down barriers to quality health

In a matter of months, we’ve attempted to adapt amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, like me, it means working from home full-time and adjusting to parenting while juggling work priorities. For many others, however, it means something far more difficult. This pandemic has both highlighted our resilience and shone a bright light on the health disparities in our communities.

These disparities exist far beyond COVID-19 and make it abundantly clear that we must be persistent in breaking down access barriers that face those who have been disenfranchised. From higher rates of underlying health conditions to social and economic disparities, our communities face systemic conditions which exacerbate the oftentimes deadly impact of COVID-19. In fact:

• Many lack adequate health insurance – Latinos are almost three times as likely to be uninsured and African Americans are almost twice as likely to be uninsured as white counterparts – making them more vulnerable and less likely to seek care.[i]
• Many also work essential jobs, putting them at higher risk – Latino workers account for 53% of agricultural workers and African Americans account for 30% of licensed practical and vocational nurses.[ii]
• Senior communities have faced large rates of COVID-19 with 8 out of 10 deaths reported in the U.S. being individuals 65 years of age or older. Within the LGBTQI community, there are an estimated 1.1 million older adults who are less likely to have the support system they need to stay at home, intensifying the threat of COVID-19 within this community.[iii]

It is critical that we support our partners and patient communities to create greater access and help overcome these factors that lead to health disparities. We are grateful to work with and support our partners to improve health equity.

That is why we are providing nearly $2 million in charitable grants through The Pfizer Foundation[iv] to 18 of our Multicultural Center of Excellence partner organizations to help strengthen capacity and increase impact. This includes support for training community health workers in sharing COVID-19 information in culturally competent ways, food deliveries and mental wellness checks for seniors and resources to access essential needs.

In addition, for some time we have been hearing from our patient assistance enrollment counselors that we should make it faster and easier for eligible patients to access their medicines through our Pfizer RxPathways? Patient Assistance Program. As a result of this feedback, I am pleased to say that we recently launched PAP Connect, a new online option that allows eligible patients and healthcare providers to request and manage access to more than 40 primary care Pfizer medicines completely online through their mobile device or computer. 

For many, including our most susceptible senior communities, it is crucial to limit exposure to COVID-19. Our goal is that PAP Connect will be a timely and vital service that helps some of our most at-risk patients gain better access to their medicines with online PAP enrollment and management, bringing peace of mind for those taking precautions to reduce risk by limiting in-person doctor’s appointments and pharmacy visits. 

COVID-19 has further elevated health disparities as a critical gap. We must continue to be agile, listen to those around us and adapt to the changing needs of our patient communities. My hope is that despite the ongoing tragic impacts from this pandemic, each day we all see our role in and accept the challenge to tear down barriers that create health disparities for our most vulnerable patient communities. 

[i] Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Racial & Ethnic Minority Groups. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/racial-ethnic-minorities.html. Published April 22, 2020. Accessed May 29, 2020.

[ii] Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Older Adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/older-adults.html. Published April 30, 2020. Accessed May 29, 2020.

[iii] COVID-19 & LGBTQ Older People. Human Rights Campaign Foundation. https://assets2.hrc.org/files/documents/Covid19_LGBTQ_Elders_Issue_Brief.pdf. Accessed June 12, 2020

[iv] The Pfizer Foundation is a charitable organization established by Pfizer Inc. It is a separate legal entity from Pfizer Inc. with distinct legal restrictions.