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Driving innovation for clinical trial access

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More people need better access to clinical trials.

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Learn about our unique approach to help or find the right trial for you.
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Find a clinical trial
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https://trials.lilly.com/en-US
Find a Clinical Trial
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We’re on the road with a new approach to clinical trials—one that expands access to cutting-edge medicines and treatments. Using mobile research units outfitted with medical equipment, we’re able to reach more people with clinical trials, include more diversity within them, and provide education about the value of participation. We want to change the way our industry thinks about clinical trials and ensure patients are in the driver’s seat.
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An urgent need provides a long-term solution

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The idea to use mobile units began during the pandemic when we needed to reach our most vulnerable communities with our COVID-19 trials. It quickly became apparent that this approach could provide better access in other clinical trials too.
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Watch this video about the Lilly MRU

Paving the way for better access

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Diverse representation in clinical trials helps ensure new medicines can work for the most amount of people. But traditional trials and screenings don’t always make it easy to participate. The mobile units are a simple idea that can help in a big way.
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https://delivery-p137454-e1438138.adobeaemcloud.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:45ab67c4-7113-4601-92d9-ec7281404f65/play?assetname=MRU%20external%20long%20form%20FINAL%20captioned.mp4

00:00-00:03 [Music playing.]

[White Lilly Logo animation appears on screen on a red background.]

00:04-00:09 [A man appears on screen. He is wearing black glasses and a dark sport coat.]

Title: MIKE FRANKLIN, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, CLINICAL CAPABILITIES

MIKE FRANKLIN: The why during COVID was really clear. People were sick and people were dying, and we didn't have a solution.

00:10-00:19 [A woman appears on camera. She is wearing a red jacket.]

Title: ALLISON REDDICK, SR. DIRECTOR, CLINICAL SERVICES AND CAPABILITIES

ALLISON REDDICK: There was a very strong sense of purpose that we needed to do something, and we need to do it fast, and we had a potential solution that could make a difference and potentially save lives.

00:20-00:25 [Man talking to camera.]

MIKE FRANKLIN: When we first started out with the mobile units, they were very much focused on the nursing home study during COVID.

[Video shows the mobile research units from the outside and then the inside of the RV. People are taking equipment in and out of the RV.]

00:26-00:33 [A man appears on camera. He is wearing a red shirt with a Lilly logo.]

Title: BRIAN MIESSE, SR. DIRECTOR, ENGINEERING

BRIAN MIEESE: It was really important to have the mobility that the RV provided us so we could go to the nursing homes that people were asking for our help.

[Scenes of the mobile research units visiting nursing homes during the COVID pandemic.]

00:34-00:41

ALLISON REDDICK: We knew coming out of COVID that we had something really special in the mobile research units and what potential they had to change the landscape for clinical research.

00:42-00:49

MIKE FRANKLIN: We started with the MRUs during COVID out of necessity. Now we want to take them on the road, and we want to dream big.

00:50-01:20 [Upbeat blues music plays.]

[Video shows the mobile research units in front of Lilly’s corporate headquarters and then driving on the Interstate and through the city of Chicago.]

01:21-01:31 [A woman appears on camera in a new setting. She is standing in front of the mobile research unit wearing a red shirt and black glasses.]

ALLISON REDDICK: We are here at the Black Women's Expo in partnership with our TRAILBLAZER-3 trial to educate and screen potential participants for our preclinical Alzheimer's study.

01:32-01:37 [A woman appears on camera standing in front of the mobile research units. She is also wearing a red shirt and glasses.]

Title: LASHAN NEVILLE, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, CENTRAL CLINICAL SERVICES.

LASHAN NEVILLE: The mobile research units are a great way to ensure that we can make research more accessible.

01:38-01:49 [A woman appears on camera. She is wearing a black top and clear-framed glasses.]

Title: DAWN WATSON, POTENTIAL TRIAL PARTICIPANT, CHICAGO.

DAWN WATSON: My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's as well as his father. Both of them had extremely early onset.

[Scenes of people talking and looking at information about the trial.]

DAWN WATSON: If this small piece that I'm doing is going to help the overall picture, I'm all in.

01:50-01:59 [A woman is talking to the camera. Scenes show people talking in front of the mobile research units at the expo.]

LASHAN NEVILLE: Diverse representation in our trials is important because we want to ensure that the drugs that come to market represent the population of the world.

02:00-02:09 [A woman is talking to the camera, wearing a red shirt. Video shows more scenes from the expo.]

Title: ALENA ROBY, MOBILE HEALTHCARE IMPLEMENTATION LEAD.

ALENA ROBY: Increasing opportunities like this to bring the clinical trial to the community to be able to reach those underrepresented groups. It's an opportunity for education and opportunity and access.

02:10-02:22 [A woman is speaking to the camera. More scenes of people talking and getting into the mobile research unit.]

DAWN WATSON: Do you know how hard it is to get into clinical studies? Sometimes make appointments, miss appointments, but this, you're here, you're present, sign up, get your blood work done. They explained everything. It was great. It was a great experience.

02:23-02:30 [A woman is speaking to the camera. More scenes of people talking and getting into the mobile research unit.]

ALENA ROBY: People who want to come in and get screened, they learn more about what we're trying to do here, and we'll be able to help someone, especially if they're at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

02:31-02:42

ALLISON REDDICK: So, we've just scratched the surface of what we can do. And I think there's a role for everyone at Lilly. We can bring this to more and more people and more and more devastating disease states where there are no options.

02:43-02:59

DAWN WATSON: Honey, knowledge is power. I refuse to spend a life walking in fear. I would like to see the future for Alzheimer's patients be better. It's about making advancements that may even someday totally eradicate the illness, and it starts right here with clinical trials.

03:00-03:24 [Upbeat music plays.]

[Scenes show the mobile research unit RV driving on the highway and arriving back at Lilly headquarters.]

MIKE FRANKLIN: When it comes to the future state of mobile units and community-based research, we're wanting to be able to help educate and bring people better knowledge around what Lily is actually doing related to healthcare. And this isn't just doing a one-time event. This means being able to go back to the community, being able to come in there on a regular basis and really be part of the healthcare solution.

03:25-03:31 [White Lilly logo appears on a red backdrop.]

[Music fades in the background.]

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Better access means more equity

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Most patients live 80% of their lives within 28 minutes of their home. If we want patients to have access to life-changing medicines through clinical trial participation, we need to fit the process into their lifestyle and meet them where they are.

But the mobile research units are about more than just convenience. Clinical trials need to reflect the diversity of the patients they’re meant for. To ensure a medicine is as effective as possible, we need to research how someone may respond based on variables like age, sex, race and ethnicity. The mobile research units help us screen in areas and places you’d never expect to see us. In combination with remote visits in some trials, the units can serve broader areas and more people. We’re working to break down barriers that stand in the way of increasing diversity within clinical trial participation.
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Close-up of a black woman

New clinical trial focuses on skin of color

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Learn more about the trial
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/news/stories/innovative-atopic-dematitis-trial-evaluates-potential-new-medicine-skin-of-color
Learn more about the new trial focusing on skin of color
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Why is creating trials for everyone so important?

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Diverse representation in clinical trials helps ensure medicines are as effective as possible for those who need them.
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Learn more about inclusive trials
link
/science/clinical-trials/diversity
Learn more about inclusive trials
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