Opinion: Pharma must listen to patients for reproductive health equity

The pharma industry is in a unique position to develop reproductive health therapies and programs, some of which can be designed with input from those patients who need them. As a physician and leader in pharma, I am calling on my industry colleagues to ensure we listen to the voices of patients everywhere. With nearly 25 years of experience in women’s health, I have seen how challenges, such as stigma or health literacy can impact the ability of patients to have meaningful dialogues with health care professionals. My dedication to women’s health has remained single-minded as I made the transition from being a practicing physician to the pharmaceutical industry. I was drawn to pharma because I saw it as an opportunity to support women on a global scale. I was born and raised in Nigeria, the daughter of a white American mother, a Peace Corps volunteer, and a Black Nigerian father. Experiences growing up gave me a global view of women’s health, the inequities that exist, and how stigma, myth, and lack of access can have deadly consequences. Throughout my career, I have drawn inspiration from personal and professional experiences to try and bring change to this sector. These experiences have shaped me into the advocate I am today. I always come back to the fact that far too many women around the world are suffering in silence, unable to advocate for themselves or access essential treatments. In 2001, I lost my cousin Georgina to what could have been a treatable condition. Because she was an unmarried woman with limited access to medical care in her village, she did not share her medical situation with others for fear of being stigmatized. When she finally sought treatment, an ultrasound showed multiple uterine masses. She died shortly thereafter. Georgina should not have died. She should have had the opportunity to seek help, to not be embarrassed by her medical condition, and receive the treatment that could have saved her life. Her legacy is my inspiration and pushes me forward every day. I do not want others to suffer because they don’t have a voice. Health care professionals must be mindful of their own biases and create a safer environment for their patients that allows them to feel comfortable speaking about their health concerns. --— In reproductive health, there are countless examples of how a lack of accurate medical information and health literacy, shame, stigma, medical racism, or insufficient access to care are barriers for those who want to start or grow their families. From menarche to menopause, women’s bodies and lives are shaped by their access to reproductive choices, information, care, and the freedom to make their needs and concerns known. Social determinants of health affect 30-55% of health outcomes and are the terrain on which structural inequities, such as racism, sexism, classism, ableism, xenophobia, and homophobia produce unfair and avoidable differences in health outcomes between groups. Research suggests that in the global north, Black and Asian women have significantly lower in vitro fertilization birth rates than white and mixed ethnic groups. And it doesn’t stop there. In fact, members of the LGBTQ+ community struggle to find culturally competent fertility care, which may lead to poor patient experiences or mistrust of the health care provider or institution. How is this possible? What can we do as the pharmaceutical industry to address the inequities among patient populations? We must ensure they have a voice. The first step is to educate and empower people about their own health and provide the opportunities and resources they need. Next, we need to listen to patients and better understand their unique situations. The throughline is that health care professionals must be mindful of their own biases and create a safer environment for their patients that allows them to feel comfortable speaking about their health concerns. From an industry perspective, I can help bridge that gap. I have dedicated my career to improving the lives of women, having worked on the development of the vaccines for the human papillomavirus known as Gardasil® and Gardasil® 9, helping launch a new test for hereditary cancers, and shepherding a new low-dose contraceptive patch through clinical trials to approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. On the positive side, we are seeing progress. Aspiring parents are becoming more active and vocal about their fertility journeys by sharing their stories to help others. The company where I now work, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, a privately held company that operates globally, partners with RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association to advocate for the fertility community by raising awareness, dispelling myths, and helping to provide access to fertility treatment for everyone. Ferring’s online community and U.S.-based platform, Fertility Out Loud, provides opportunities for patients to access education, speak openly, and foster connections with others in similar situations. As leaders, we need to elevate all stories to give patients opportunities to be heard and let them know support and resources are available to address their unique needs. We must also ensure that the scientific breakthroughs aiming to transform reproductive medicine serve all populations. In my role at Ferring, I have the tremendous opportunity to support so many people around the world through the discovery and development of scientific innovations that address unmet needs in reproductive medicine and maternal health. As an example, we are currently recruiting for a global clinical trial for an investigational treatment for men with idiopathic infertility, or unexplained reduction of semen quality. This is an important initiative as male factor infertility is an equal contributor to why a couple may not be able to conceive — it isn’t just a female issue. My company also strives to develop resources that ensure providers and patients have the tools and information they need. We do this as an investment in care and communities. Each day, I am fortunate that I have the ability to help improve the lives of women and their families through the work that I do with Ferring. Leveraging my collective expertise as both a practicing physician and a pharmaceutical executive who has a deep passion for advancing scientific innovations, my hope is that I can help change how we treat different conditions. And so, I challenge us as an industry to think more boldly. It is time to take a hard look to ensure being inclusive and listening to patients is not what we aspire to, but rather the reality of our every day. We must use our collective voices and experience to help create change for those who feel unheard or underserved by addressing the challenges, such as health inequities, that so many face. If we do that, I believe we can truly create change and a brighter future for all. Will you join me?