The Coalition to Transform Clinical Trial Engagement Launches National 'Champions for Change – PTO Initiative' to Expand Access to Clinical Trials for Working Patients with 7 Corporate and Non-Profit Members
CHICAGO, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recognition of Clinical Trials Day, the Coalition to Transform Clinical Trial Engagement (CTCTE) proudly announces the launch of the Champions for Change – Paid Time Off (PTO) Initiative, a national effort to reduce job-related barriers to clinical trial participation by partnering with employers to provide paid time off (PTO) for employees enrolling in trials.
Launched in 2024 and led by the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR), CTCTE is now a 36-member collaborative of patients, clinicians, medical societies, patient advocacy organizations, and industry, committed to increasing engagement in clinical trials by reducing key barriers reported by patients with chronic conditions. The Champions for Change – PTO Initiative emerged from this coalition as part of its national strategic plan to address workplace-related obstacles. This initiative builds off FSR's and the CTCTE's efforts which resulted in a requested letter from the Department of Labor (DOL) providing clarity that employees who enroll in clinical trials and family caregivers supporting those enrolled in clinical trials, are protected under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). By working with Human Resources departments, FSR and the CTCTE are encouraging companies across America to provide at least one paid day off for clinical trial participation as a benefit for their employees.
'By giving employees paid time off to participate in clinical trials, companies have the power to promote clinical trial access and participation for employees, accelerate medical breakthroughs, and save lives for current and future generations. This is more than a benefit---it's a bold and necessary commitment to humanity and a powerful way for corporate America to lead with united purpose,' said Mary McGowan, President and CEO of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research. 'We know that getting clarity of FMLA protections for clinical trial participants and their support system, is an important step to making clinical trial participation an option for all patients who wish to participate. This initiative allows us to expand that conversation from the doctor's office to corporate America.'
Clinical trials drive medical innovation and often offer patients access to better treatment options. Yet those who could benefit most are frequently left out due to systemic barriers that make participation too costly. According to FSR's IRB-approved survey of Black patients with sarcoidosis, limited paid time off, inflexible work schedules, and income loss from missed work were cited as barriers to joining or completing a clinical trial. Other regional and national studies have come to the same conclusion about job-related barriers contributing to lower enrollment and retention – especially among underserved communities. These burdens lead to exclusion from trials, which not only harms the communities most impacted by chronic conditions but also jeopardizes the clinical trials enterprise by failing to include patients from all backgrounds—limiting what we learn about potential treatments.1 2
________________________________
1 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2022). Improving representation in clinical trials and research: Building research equity for women and underrepresented groups. The National Academies Press.2 Craig, L. S., Sarpong, D. F., Peacock, E. M., & Theall, K. P. (2023). Clinical trial participation among underserved communities: Insights from the Louisiana Community Engagement Alliance. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 366(6), 324–332.
'As the President and CEO of a mid-size health-focused non-profit, I am acutely aware that the health of my employees is essential to the success of our organization. By providing my employees with time off for clinical trial participation, I not only signal to my employees that I care about them and their health and wellbeing, but it also starts the conversation at the workplace about the power of clinical trial participation to advance the development of better therapies and outcomes for all impacted by chronic diseases,' said McGowan.
The initiative was first introduced in May of 2023 by FSR at a Congressional Briefing in response to barriers identified in FSR's 60-page white paper as part of a comprehensive roadmap to expand engagement of underrepresented communities in clinical trials. Last year, on clinical trials day, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals became the first company to officially sign on to 'Champions for Change', leading the way for other companies to do the same. Today, the initiative goes public with seven national partners committed to championing change for clinical trials in the workplace.
We're proud to recognize the founding members of the : American Thoracic Society, Diverse Research Now, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Mural Health, Recursion, and Sabai Global. Each of these employers has committed to providing at least one day of paid time off for employees participating in clinical trials— demonstrating their leadership in expanding access and driving innovation in medical research.For more information about the Champions for Change – PTO Initiative and how to join the Coalition to Transform Clinical Trial Engagement, visit ignorenomore.org.
The work of CTCTE is sponsored by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and supported by a Scientific Advancement Grant from Boehringer Ingelheim.
About the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR):
The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research is the leading international organization dedicated to finding a cure for sarcoidosis and improving care for sarcoidosis patients through research, education, and support. Since its establishment in 2000, FSR has fostered over $7.2 million in sarcoidosis-specific research efforts.
Media Contact:Cathi DavisEmail: cathi@stopsarcoidosis.orgPhone: 312-341-0500
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c95e8490-e76d-4f4a-a51d-8d1ddc31af7a
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
16-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Paid family leave is a win-win for Florida
Recently, I met a young man I'll call 'Lucas,' who had received a full scholarship to play football at the University of Miami — but he was disqualified because his GPA was too low. Why? Because he couldn't read. What was once a bright future for Lucas and his family is now uncertain. And while his story is tragic, it's not unique. Earlier this year, the Education Recovery Scorecard ranked Florida 45th in the nation for reading scores — putting our students three-quarters of a grade level behind. I've dedicated my career to helping kids like Lucas improve their lives by developing reading skills. But I can only do that by ensuring my team of teachers, mentors, and para-educators — many of them single mothers — can balance their work and personal lives without risking a paycheck. Since I founded the H.U.G. Reading Program 10 years ago to help kids in Florida and beyond learn to read, we've hired thousands of employees who welcomed new babies, said goodbye to aging parents, or faced personal and family emergencies. From day one, we offered paid family and medical leave — not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it's good business. If you want productive employees, you need happy, healthy, loyal people who are committed to and engaged with their work. That means giving them time to care for themselves and their families, so they can return refreshed and ready to teach. At H.U.G., paid leave policies led to fewer absences, lower turnover, and reduced health care costs. One study found that replacing an employee can cost up to 150% of their annual wages. Another financial analysis of more than 10,000 businesses found that those offering paid leave saw 4.6% higher revenue and 6.8% greater profit per full-time employee. In fact, for every dollar invested in supporting employees, manufacturing and tech companies saw respective returns of $2.57 and $2.64. In the U.S., the Family and Medical Leave Acts (FMLA) provides protections for employees during times of personal and family health crises. The 1993 federal law allows eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for family or medical reasons, ensuring that their job and health insurance benefits are not affected. Florida businesses are generally required to follow FMLA rules, if they have at least 50 employees. Yet not all businesses in Florida offer paid leave — because they don't have to. That's a problem. Raising children in our state costs families up to $17,500 per child, per year, pushing many parents into the workforce. Without paid leave, many mothers must choose between work and family. But if Florida women participated in the workforce at the same rate as women in states that offer paid family leave, there would be 348,000 more workers and $12.8 billion in additional wages earned in our state each year. Family-friendly policies also give parents the time to engage with their children's education — fostering academic success that builds a stronger, more competitive workforce and economy for Florida's future. Paid family and sick leave is a smart investment — not just in business, but in our next generation. By ensuring Floridians don't have to choose between their jobs and their families, our state can thrive — academically, economically, and nationally. Across Florida are millions of kids just like Lucas, who — with the right support — can achieve their dreams. I urge state policymakers to expand paid family leave for all Floridians — before it's too late. Janine Broussard is the founder of the H.U.G. Reading Program and lives in Palm Beach.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Colorado just raised the bar on paid leave for NICU parents—and every state should be paying attention
When your newborn is in the NICU, the rest of the world fades. Monitors beep. Nurses whisper. You count the minutes between updates. What most parents don't have, though, is the one thing they need most: time. Now, that's starting to change. Colorado just made history as the first state in the U.S. to offer paid NICU leave. As Axios reports, Governor Jared Polis has signed a bill expanding the state's paid family and medical leave program to include an additional 12 weeks of leave for parents whose infants are hospitalized in neonatal intensive care. The new leave goes into effect on January 1, 2026. The law builds on the state's broader paid leave benefit, which voters approved in 2020 and launched in January 2024. offering up to 12 weeks of paid time off for medical or caregiving needs. Colorado's program is part of a growing movement among states to provide paid leave through publicly funded insurance systems—separate from the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which protects some workers' jobs but doesn't guarantee income. Related: When the baby is in the NICU, who's caring for the mom? A new model is changing that The bill acknowledges what science has long confirmed: babies thrive when their parents can be present in the NICU. A study published in JAMA Network Open assessed the outcomes following close collaboration with parents in NICUs. The study found that family-centered care—where parents are directly, daily involved with the hands-on care of their NICU newborns—led to better outcomes for both infants and parents. Babies gained more weight, and parents reported lower stress levels and greater satisfaction with care. But presence comes at a cost. Without paid leave, many parents are forced to make an impossible choice: stay by their critically ill newborn's side—or hold onto their job. One of the bill's sponsors, Colorado State Rep. Yara Zokaie, knows that struggle firsthand, She described her own experience working remotely from the hospital while her baby was in intensive care. As she told Axios, 'Having a child in the NICU is one of the most terrifying moments as a parent, and the last thing they should be worried about is having to choose between spending time with their child in the hospital and keeping their jobs.' To be clear, Colorado's new provision makes it the only state to specifically extend paid leave for NICU hospitalization. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have broader paid family leave laws, but they vary widely in duration, eligibility, and funding. And federally? The U.S. still offers zero weeks of guaranteed paid family leave. That means NICU outcomes—like so much in parenting—are increasingly shaped by your zip code. In contrast, Colorado's law recognizes that care is not a private inconvenience—it's a public good. And it builds on evidence that paid leave improves both health and economic outcomes for families. As reported by Axios, advocates see this move as proof that Colorado's family leave program is working well enough to expand. Paid NICU leave isn't just smart public health. It's long-overdue recognition that the burden of care work—especially during medical crises—has too often fallen silently on mothers. In most households, caregiving during a medical emergency still defaults to the mother. As we've previously covered, moms are often expected to 'make it work'—balancing crisis caregiving with professional obligations, all without the systemic support their roles demand Colorado's new law doesn't fix all of that. But it sets a precedent. One that says parents in crisis deserve more than platitudes. They deserve policies that meet them where they are: beside a hospital bed, holding the tiniest hand they've ever seen. Related: Moms don't need a baby bonus—they need paid leave, childcare, and real support Sources: SENATE BILL 25-144. Colorado Government. SENATE BILL 25-144. NICU outcomes. JAMA Network Open. Outcomes Following Close Collaboration With Parents Intervention in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. State Paid Family Leave Laws Across the U.S. January 202. Bipartisan Policy Centrer. State Paid Family Leave Laws Across the U.S. Paid family and medical leave. January 2025. American Progress. The State of Paid Family and Medical Leave in the U.S. in 2025. Colorado expands paid leave for NICU parents. June 2025. Axios. Colorado expands paid leave for NICU parents.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research and American Thoracic Society Announce Dr. Mark Mallozzi as the New FSR/ATS Partner Grant Awardee
CHICAGO, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) are pleased to announce that Mark Mallozzi, MD, MPH has been selected to receive the 2025 ATS/FSR Partner Grant, awarded to support innovative research in sarcoidosis and advance patient care. The FSR/ATS Partner Grant, a cornerstone of both organizations' commitment to fostering early-career investigators, provides $100,000 in funding—$50,000 per year over two years—to support groundbreaking research projects that have the potential to significantly impact the understanding and treatment of sarcoidosis. Since 2005, this partnership has funded over $1 million in sarcoidosis research, catalyzing further advancements in the field. 'Dr. Mallozzi's grant will provide the scientific community with valuable insight into the environmental causes of sarcoidosis,' said Mary McGowan, President and CEO of FSR. 'We are pleased to partner with the American Thoracic Society to support dedicated investigators like Dr. Mallozzi who are committed to increasing the understanding of this complex disease.'This year's awardee, Mark Mallozzi, MD, MPH from National Jewish Health was selected for his project titled 'Association of PM2.5 exposure with sarcoidosis outcomes at baseline and longitudinal follow-up'. This study will look at a possible link between air pollution and sarcoidosis. 'This grant will be essential in advancing my career as a physician-scientist focusing on sarcoidosis and environmental exposures,' said Mark Mallozzi MD. 'Through this project, I will advance my research skills and scientific writing and presenting, build a network of collaborators, and produce foundational data for future projects. This project is a meaningful step in my goal of securing a National Institutes of Health Research Career Development Award (K).' 'We are immensely grateful to our non-profit partners for their continued collaboration and for their support of the young researchers who are contributing to greatly-improved outcomes for patients across the spectrum of respiratory health,' said Kamran Atabai, MD, chair of the ATS Scientific Grant Review Committee. For more information about the FSR research funding programs, visit About SarcoidosisSarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by granulomas—tiny clumps of inflammatory cells—that can form in one or more organs. 90% of patients living with sarcoidosis have lung involvement. Despite advances in research, sarcoidosis remains challenging to diagnose, with limited treatment options and no known cure. Approximately 175,000 people live with sarcoidosis in the United States. About the Foundation for Sarcoidosis ResearchThe Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is the leading international organization dedicated to finding a cure for sarcoidosis and improving care for those living with the disease through research, education, and support. For more information about FSR and its community programs, visit: About the ATS FoundationSince its inception, the ATS Foundation Research Program has awarded more than $24 million in early career researchers has leveraged well over $880 million in NIH funding and breakthroughs in respiratory medicine. You can learn more about our most recent awardees here. Media Contact:Cathi Davis, Director of Communications and MarketingFoundation for Sarcoidosis Research312-341-0500cathi@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
