Equity is embedded in our corporate values and is core to who we are at Pfizer. We know that health equity is only achieved when breakthroughs are made accessible to all. We are focused on achieving transformational change by applying not only our science, medicines, and vaccines; but our people, resources, and expertise to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. We take seriously our role as a world citizen by building and nurturing programs and partnerships that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion beyond our own company.
Programs
Representation in healthcare is not just important—it is vital. Research has shown that having clinicians, scientists, and clinical trial participants of color can be one of the primary factors in determining health outcomes. Representation matters if health equity is ever going to become a reality.
Pfizer seeks to improve equity in the world through a number of diversity and inclusion-based initiatives.
We work with dozens of advocacy, healthcare provider, community, and legislative groups that are dedicated to help improve health equity in the U.S. for historically disregarded communities that are impacted by health disparities.
Learn more about the Multicultural Health Equity Collective.
Ensuring diversity in R&D is a key component in helping to achieve health equity and reducing disparities in healthcare. Race, ethnicity, age, sex, environment, and other social determinants of health can all impact how different people respond to the same medicine or vaccine. This is why inclusivity, starting at the earliest phases of research, is so important. In pursuit of a more equitable and inclusive R&D process and pipeline, Pfizer launched the “Institute of Translational Equitable Medicine” or ITEM in 2021. Our vision for ITEM is to achieve health equity by identifying and treating disease drivers that disproportionately impact underserved and minority populations nationally and globally.
Learn more about the origin and purpose of the Institute of Translational Equitable Medicine.
What makes people unique, including race, ethnicity, age, and sex, can impact how they respond to the same medicine or vaccine. To better understand individuals’ health needs and the impact of our medicines and vaccines across all people, our clinical trials must represent the diverse communities impacted by the diseases we aim to address.
Learn more about How We Work Toward Diversity in Clinical Trials.
We have adapted enterprise-wide initiatives to drive inclusiveness across our 40+ sites around the world. We want to help diverse suppliers thrive by not only providing them with business, but also with opportunities for long-term relationships, mentorship, and growth and development opportunities.
Pfizer’s US Rare Disease Community Activation team partners with trusted community partners in dozens of cities to establish local disease awareness programs for underserved and overlooked communities. Their first program, Voices for the Heart, is focused on raising awareness in Black, African American, and Afro-Caribbean communities about a rare heart condition called hereditary ATTR-CM (hATTR-CM).
No one government, organization, or company can close the health equity gap alone. We call upon global health leaders, global health organizations, country governments, industry leaders, and peers to come together to provide expertise and resources that can help to close the health equity gap and create a healthier world—one where every person can access the innovative medicines and vaccines they need, regardless of where they live or how much they earn.
Every Color is Primary helps to ensure that patients with dermatological conditions feel seen and understood no matter their skin color. We celebrate the full spectrum of skin color and features and understand that these differences can relate to how prevalent diseases may be, how they may present, and how patients might be impacted by them.
Partnerships
By partnering with external organizations, we aim to apply our equity value beyond Pfizer’s walls. These partnerships include:
Grants
The Pfizer Foundation* supports community-led organizations that are helping to improve health systems and increase access to quality healthcare for underserved populations in the U.S. and around the world.
The Accelerating Health Equity Grants program was established in 2020 to advance health equity by supporting community-based organizations working to improve the health of Black communities across the U.S.
Since 2016, the Global Health Innovation Grants (GHIG) program has supported community-based initiatives, improving quality of care and strengthening health systems in low- and middle-income countries. Learn more about The Pfizer Foundation.
*The Pfizer Foundation is a charitable organization established by Pfizer Inc. It is a separate legal entity from Pfizer Inc. with distinct legal restrictions.
- References
- Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture. The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth. Accessed May 19, 2023.