Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and Pfizer, Inc. Announce Funding Awards to Reduce Health Disparities in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

NEW YORK, NY – The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (Foundation), in partnership with Pfizer Inc., has announced the results of a request for proposal (RFP) to reduce health disparities that exist around vaccine usage and health maintenance in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

“These projects were selected for their potential to support multi-disciplinary health services approaches for the improved management of vaccine usage and health maintenance in IBD patients in medically underserved populations,” said Anita Afzali, MD, chair of the RFP review panel. “Studies have demonstrated that with improved education regarding importance of vaccination and preventative care screening, healthcare outcomes and adherence also improve.”

The total funding related to this RFP is $700,000, made possible through Pfizer Global Medical Grants. 

Awarded projects

Creating Solutions for Disparities in Health Maintenance for Patients with IBD: Meeting the Needs of Medically Underserved Populations

Boston University School of Medicine, Office of Continuing Medical Education

• This proposal seeks to define and create tailored screening systems for medically underserved patients in order to improve outcomes of preventative health maintenance among adult patients with IBD. 

Use of Digital Health Services to Address Health Disparities in IBD

American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute

• This proposal seeks to improve the management of health maintenance and vaccine administration in patients diagnosed with IBD through the development of an educational and system-based intervention that will meet the health disparity criteria outlined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) via the utilization of the Rx.Health digital health platform to educate and connect patients to optimal health care services.

   

About the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation is the leading non-profit organization focused on both research and patient support for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The Foundation’s mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life for the millions of Americans living with IBD. For over 50 years, we have been inspiring and engaging patients and caregivers in the country’s largest IBD community and helping to dramatically accelerate the pace of research by breaking down traditional barriers to patients, data, funding, and collaborations. We also provide extensive educational resources for patients and their families, medical professionals, and the public. For more information, visit www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org, call 888-694-8872, or email [email protected]. 

About Pfizer Global Medical Grants

The mission of Pfizer Global Medical Grants is to partner with the global healthcare community to improve patient outcomes in areas of mutual interest through support of measurable learning and change strategies. Projects funded by Pfizer are the full responsibility of the recipient organization.  Pfizer has no influence over any aspect of the projects and only asks for reports about the results and the impact of the projects to share them publicly.

Pfizer Inc.: Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments, and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.pfizer.com and follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer_News, Linked In, YouTube, and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer.