Patient Advocacy Voices

Hosted by Sanofi US Patient Advocacy

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Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

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.

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28 recent

May 28, 2026Episode 539 min

Inside the Alliance for Aging Research: Closing the Gap Between Innovation and Patient Access

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 Relations at Sanofi, for a conversation with Sue Peschin, President and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research. Together, they discuss how aging research, Medicare policy, vaccine education, and patient advocacy come together to shape access and outcomes for older adults.Sue shares how the Alliance for Aging Research is working to change the narrative on healthy aging, advance evidence-based policy, and help patients better navigate the system. Drawing both on her leadership experience and her personal perspective as a caregiver, she offers practical insight into the barriers older adults face and what it takes to reduce them.In this episode, you’ll hear about:How Medicare benefit design, affordability, and utilization management can affect real patient accessWhy aging research matters for chronic disease, infectious disease, and healthier lives as people ageHow advocacy organizations help translate complex policy changes into useful guidance for patients and familiesWhy vaccine education and trusted communication still matter, especially for older adultsWhat mission-driven leadership looks like during times of policy and public health changeThis episode offers practical lessons for advocacy leaders, policymakers, and anyone working to make the healthcare system easier to navigate for older adults and caregivers.

April 29, 2026Episode 437 min

The “Last Mile” in Cancer Care: What It Takes to Turn Innovation Into Access

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 co-host Rachel Solomon of Sanofi. Together, they explore how cancer care is shaped not just by scientific advances, but by the systems, operations, and local realities that determine whether patients can access timely, effective care.Drawing on her background in oncology consulting and her personal experience as a caregiver for her mother, Meagan shares why so many of the biggest challenges in cancer care are structural rather than scientific. The conversation dives into the crucial role of community oncology, the operational gaps that delay access to care, and how ACCC is working to bridge the gaps between innovation and practical, everyday solutions for both providers and patients. With most cancer care delivered in community settings, advocacy leaders will learn about ACCC’s “how to” approach that helps close the gap between breakthrough science and real patient access.In this episode, you’ll gain insights on:Why access to care is often determined by where a patient livesNon-clinical barriers to patient outcomes, including fragmented systems, administrative burden, and workforce shortagesThe critical role community care settings play in delivering the majority of care in the U.S.How collaboration across clinical centers, care teams, and advocacy organizations can reduce friction for patients and providers alikeHow data and patient stories together can drive more effective advocacy and system changeThis episode is a timely reminder that improving patient care requires more than medical innovation alone. It takes practical solutions, stronger collaboration, and systems designed to help patients move through care with fewer delays and less burden. It also reveals how patient advocacy organizations can play a critical role in making this happen.

March 31, 2026Episode 331 min

Reading the Signals: How One Successful Organization Knew It Was Time to Change

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 episode of Patient Advocacy Voices, host Eric Racine is joined by Anders Kolb, President and CEO of Blood Cancer United, alongside returning co-host Elizabeth Franklin of Sanofi. Together, they explore one of the most difficult and necessary decisions an organization can make: transforming an already strong identity to better serve patients. What may look like a simple rebrand is, in reality, a story of leadership, courage, and a deep commitment to patients. Dr. Kolb shares both his professional journey as a pediatric oncologist and his personal connection to blood cancer. He reveals how data, listening, and lived experience uncovered a critical gap: too many patients did not see themselves reflected or served by the organization. This resulted in a strategic change from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to Blood Cancer United, a name and movement designed to be more inclusive, more representative, and expand access and support for everyone affected by blood cancer.In this episode, you’ll gain insights on:How to recognize when your organization’s mission has outgrown its brandHow to make a bold, forward-looking decision by reading the right signalsWhy inclusive language helps more patients feel seen, supported, and connectedHow to tie culture, strategy, and success metrics around real patient impact Ways to lead a large-scale organizational change This episode reveals how proactive leadership decisions can transform an organization to expand its impact, remove barriers, and ultimately connect more patients to the support they need when it matters most.

February 26, 2026Episode 246 min

Shaping the Future of AI: A Leadership Moment for Patient Advocacy

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 the National Health Council (NHC), alongside Fabrice Bocquillon, Global Head of Digital Patient Experience at Sanofi, for a timely conversation on AI, innovation, and patient-centered leadership. Together, they explore how AI is being applied across healthcare, from accelerating drug discovery to improving disease diagnosis and enhancing how patients navigate care and access support. They discuss what it will take to ensure patients are not just beneficiaries of AI innovation but also active partners in shaping it.In this episode, you’ll gain insights on:Why patient groups must actively shape the future of AI in healthcareWays that AI can help reduce friction across the patient journeyWhat “responsible AI” means including fairness, transparency and accountabilityHow patient advocates can collaborate with tech innovators, policymakers, and other health system players to ensure AI is patient-informed from design to deploymentHow NHC’s Patient Experience + Innovation Center (PXI) is creating new pathways for patient groups and technology innovators to work togetherThis is a pivotal leadership moment for the patient advocacy community. This episode is a call for advocacy leaders to engage, ask critical questions, and help set the standards that ensure AI truly benefits patients while remaining ethical, transparent, and grounded in lived experiences.

January 22, 2026Episode 139 min

Rebuilding Trust: What the Autism Community Teaches Us About Vaccine Confidence

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: Danielle Hall, former Vaccine Education Lead at the Autism Society of America, and Dr. Kelly Moore, President and CEO of Immunize.org.Drawing on lived experience, decades of public health leadership, and frontline advocacy work, the conversation explores why the long-debunked myth linking vaccines and autism continues to persist, and why rebuilding trust requires more than facts alone. The discussion highlights how healthcare experiences, sensory needs, anxiety, and empathy all play critical roles in shaping vaccine decisions, and what advocacy leaders and providers can do differently to better support autistic individuals and their families.In this episode, you’ll gain insights on:Why misinformation about vaccines and autism endures, and how to address it with empathy, not judgmentHow healthcare experiences and sensory needs influence vaccine confidence in the autism communityPractical ways providers and vaccination sites can reduce anxiety and create more inclusive, respectful experiences for immunizations in any disease areaHow advocacy organizations, healthcare professionals, and trusted messengers can counter misinformation by leading with empathy and authenticityThis conversation is a powerful reminder that rebuilding trust in public health starts with listening, understanding lived experiences, and meeting people where they are, because confidence is built not just through evidence, but also through empathy.

December 11, 2025Episode 1151 min

A Year of Transformation: What Patient Advocates Taught Us About Evolving to Deliver More for Patients

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 through an unprecedented moment where sweeping shifts in healthcare policy, groundbreaking AI capabilities, and breakthrough scientific advances are unfolding at the same time, creating both extraordinary opportunity and profound responsibility to ensure these developments truly improve patients’ lives. Eric and the team surface insights on how patient advocacy organizations and Sanofi are rising up to meet this incredible moment. Together they recall key lessons from advocacy leaders across immunology, lung health, vaccines, mental health, rare diseases, maternal health, and more. Learn how collaboration, co-creation, and patient integration can help organizations transform capabilities and deliver more impact for patients.In this episode, you’ll gain insights to:Uncover transformation opportunities during this time of rapid shifts in healthcare, policy, technology, and scienceAdapt new tools and engagement models to better meet the needs of patient communitiesScale community-centered programs creatively, from helplines to peer networks and proactive outreachStrengthen collaborations across advocacy groups, policymakers, and industry to drive meaningful changeAccelerate the “last mile” between scientific breakthroughs and real-world patient accessEmbrace continuous learning and mindset shifts that are essential for organizational transformation that delivers resultsAs we close out the year, we’re grateful to every patient advocacy leader whose insights helped us renew our commitments and elevate our performance for patients moving forward into 2026. Looking ahead, the pace of change will only accelerate, but so will our collective ability to anticipate and respond, guided by the advocates who inspire and inform this work. We’re excited to build on this momentum next season with new conversations, fresh discoveries, and more lessons that move us closer to a healthcare system that truly works for every patient.

November 24, 2025Episode 1053 min

The Sanofi Patient Community Promise: Moving Beyond Patient Centricity Talk to Real Actions for Patients, Feat. the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation

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-created with more than 80 patient advocacy leaders, how Sanofi is both measuring and publicly reporting the ways this promise is reshaping its culture, decision-making, and actions for patients. They are also joined by special guest Michael Osso, President & CEO of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, who returns to the podcast to provide an external perspective on what true patient partnership looks like, and why it’s urgently needed as the healthcare landscape evolves.You’ll hear examples of integrating patients throughout every stage of the scientific innovation lifecycle, from R&D to patient access to people-centered healthcare systems. Across the conversation, the group reflects on the cultural transformation required to meaningfully share the table with patients, the power of real-world data, and how patient-informed insights can accelerate medical innovation for all patient communities. This episode is packed with insights on how to:Co-create commitments with patient leaders that are actionable and transparentIntegrate patient engagement throughout your organization to drive ideas and decisions Accelerate patient-driven innovation through real-world data, lived experience, and continuous listeningStrengthen partnerships with patient leaders and organizations to close gaps in research, access, and careSimplify processes and make partnerships easier and more impactfulSustain culture change by aligning behaviors, metrics, and accountability to what matters to patientsThis episode offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how bold commitments become lived behaviors, and why partnering differently with patients is essential for the future of healthcare.

October 30, 2025Episode 931 min

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 evolves by mobilizing data, storytelling, and collaboration to drive meaningful change in maternal and infant care.In this episode you’ll gain insights on how to:Stay mission-driven in a rapidly changing environment by empowering your teams to engage in the community and share ideas Activate and sustain a nationwide network of advocates and volunteers whose voice and efforts make a differenceDeploy partnerships and hyper-local collaborations to build trust and address healthcare gaps Leverage data and patient storytelling for effective advocacy and policy changeTune in to hear how March of Dimes turned its deep-rooted history into forward-looking advocacy and solutions, and learn about capabilities to help your organization make an impact in this dynamic healthcare environment.

September 25, 2025Episode 833 min

From Invisible to Empowered: Advocacy Strategies from PDSA to Drive Early Recognition, Patient Connections, and Innovation

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 shapes how she leads. From helping patients and clinicians recognize ITP sooner, to connecting patients, engaging in R&D, and advocating for patient-focused policies, PDSA is powered by a team of people with lived experience. In this episode you’ll hear insights on how to: Amplify disease awareness through storytelling and creative outreach Overcome the challenge of educating healthcare providers about a misjudged diseaseBuild connections that transform patient isolation into patient empowermentContribute to the leading edge of innovation by generating patient data and bringing patients’ perspectives directly to the scientific communityWhether you work in a rare disease area or any underserved patient community, this conversation offers fresh ideas and practical approaches for expanding your organization’s reach and impact.

August 21, 2025Episode 725 min

From Unmet to Unforgettable: Inside CHES’s Approach to Patient Programs that Stick

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 Director of the CHES Foundation, to explore how CHES builds solutions that address true unmet needs of patients and caregivers. Janet shares how her personal journey shaped an approach to meet people where they are, listen deeply, and create programs they’ll never forget. From launching a unique camp for inhibitor patients and families, to making learning fun through disco bingo trivia at conferences, CHES reimagines how advocacy organizations can educate and empower communities.In this episode you’ll find practical insights on how to: Listen to what patients and families really need and turn it into creative, data-driven programs Design experiential education that is memorable and measurableDeliver impact for populations that lack solutions – learning from CHES solutions for children with inhibiters, women and girls with bleeding disorders, and people with ultra rare bleeding disordersContinually improve by acting on program data and community feedback This episode is a powerful look at what happens when education and support is designed not just for patients but with them, offering relevant takeaways for leaders working in any therapeutic area.