Reid Maki, NCL Director of Child Labor Advocacy and Coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition, attended the Sixth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour in Morocco, where global leaders and advocates convened to accelerate efforts to end child labor. The conference underscored both progress and urgency, with 138 million children still in child labor worldwide, including 54 million in hazardous work.
Sally Greenberg and Lisa Bercu, senior director of health policy, attended the National Health Council’s Health Leadership Conference, bringing together leaders from patient and nonprofit health organizations to tackle timely leadership and policy challenges. The event focused on strengthening collaboration and advancing a united, patient centered voice across the evolving health care landscape.
Sally Greenberg joined the CFPB Union, Protect Borrowers, Americans for Financial Reform, and allies to call for putting consumers and workers over billionaires on the one-year anniversary of Vought’s CFPB takeover.
John Breyault spoke at the Identity, Authentication and the Road Ahead Policy Forum on the first panel, “How ‘Bad’ Identity Enables the Fraud and Scam Economy.”
Sally Greenberg visited historian and author Kitty Sklar at her Berkeley home, joined by Kirstin Downey, a member of NCL’s board of directors. Together, they spent 48 hours exploring NCL history and the impact of Clara Beyer on Florence Kelley and Frances Perkins.
Sally Greenberg visited NCL Board Member and Frances Perkins biography author, Kirstin Downey, in her home base in Oahu.
Sally Greenberg attended the Democratic Steering & Policy Committee winter reception.
Sally Greenberg attended the John Hopkins Carey Business School event to hear from the legendary CEO Mark Cuban, the legendary venture capitalist Bill Gurley, and Optum CEO, Patrick Conway MD, as they share their insights on careers, entrepreneurship, and health care innovation, as well as their vision on the future of U.S. health care.
NCL’s VP of Public Polic, Telecommunications & Fraud John Breyault attended AT&T’s December reception.
Ryan Barhoush, NCL’s LifeSmarts Competition Coordinator, attended the private screening of “The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control” at the MLK Library Auditorium. The documentary is about the first ever pill to treat female sexual dysfunction and mentions NCL’s work of getting this over the finish line at the FDA.
Sally Greenberg attended McUlsky Health Force’s Annual Breakfast, hearing invaluable insights from American Political Analyst Charlie Cook on the current political landscape.
Sally Greenberg and NCL’s Senior Director of Development Karen Silberstein attended AAM’s December reception.
The NCL team celebrated Consumer Action’s 54th anniversary at the Consumer Excellence Awards in Washington, DC.
Sally Greenberg attended the Fair Labor Association’s fall board meeting and stakeholder conference in Berlin, where members, affiliates, and partners came together for three days for education and networking.
Sally Greenberg attended the Safe Kids Worldwide’s Childhood Injury Prevention Convention (PrevCon), one of the largest gatherings of safety professionals in the world dedicated solely to the field of childhood injury prevention.
Sally Greenberg received the 2025 Bold Award from Girls Inc. DC at their 3rd Annual Champion for Girls Luncheon in Washington, DC.
Sally Greenberg toured Charlie’s House in Kansas City, MO, and also celebrated Kids and Car Safety’s 30th anniversary.
Sally Greenberg spoke at Alliance for Aging Research’s 2025 Heroes in Health Celebration on the panel, “How is the Shift to Transparency, Health Outcomes, and Chronic Disease Prevention Going for Older Adults in the Medicare Program?”
Sally Greenberg and Ryan Barhoush, LifeSmarts Competiton Coordinator, attended Tzedek DC’s Eat Well, Do Justice!® 2025 event for the 9th annual chef competition apples & honey throwdown
Sally Greenberg accepted the Health Care Leadership Award presented to NCL at AOA on Capitol Hill 2025.
Sally Greenberg participated in the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 54th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, on a panel about medical debt.
Nancy Glick, NCL Director of Food and Nutrition Policy, spoke on a panel about the risks of compounded GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and the need for Medicare coverage for obesity medications.
Lisa Bercu spoke on Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies panel, “The Insiders are Out: A Candid Conversation with Former FDA Staff About Opportunities Within the Agency.”
The LifeSmarts team joined Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill to connect with leaders in the financial education community, explore new resources, and learn more about the progress made in the financial literacy effort.
Sally Greenberg presented a consumer/mom perspective on fluoride supplements at the Use of Orally Ingestible Unapproved Prescription Drug Products Containing Fluoride in the Pediatric Population meeting hosted by the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA.
Sally Greenberg celebrated Independence Day in Idaho Falls with fireworks and good company.
Sally Greenberg met with the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue in Brussels, Belgium.
Sally Greenberg attended the Consumer Federation of America’s 53rd Annual Awards Celebration in Washington, DC.
Sally Greenberg attended Senator Booker’s congressional briefing Why We Can’t Wait: Advancing Reparative Justice in Our Lifetime.
Sally Greenberg the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala at the National Building Museum. The event had 52 Members of Congress compete as Congressional Chefs serving their favorite hors d’oeuvres and desserts.
Sally Greenberg attended the 2025 Latino Congressional Forum at the National Press Club.
Sally Greenberg attended a powerful discussion at the DC Public Library, where renowned civil rights historian Juan Williams and his son Antonio “Tony” Williams explored the state of civil rights in America, drawing from Juan’s new book New Prize for These Eyes: The Rise of America’s Second Civil Rights Movement.
Sally Greenberg attended the Women’s Congressional Policy Institute 30th Anniversary Gala & Reception, an influential event bringing together key policy makers and leaders.
NCL Health Associate Samantha Sears was a panelist during NMA’s Colloquium to discuss 340b reform and the need for equitable healthcare solutions.
Sally Greenberg attended the Autoimmune Association event, advocating for better awareness and policies for those affected by autoimmune diseases.
Sally Greenberg at the “Women in Labor Leadership” event at the Frances Perkins Center in Washington, DC.
NCL’s Fraud.org co-hosted a forum with Amazon, Consumer Action, Project GOAL, Safe Kids, and the BBB Institute to discuss anti-fraud consumer advocacy efforts.
Nancy Click attended the Lilly in America Press Conference in Washington, DC.
Sally Greenberg attended the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law’s Black Excellence in the Judiciary event.
Sally Greenberg, delivered a keynote address at the 2025 Annual Meeting and Training Symposium hosted by the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO) in Orlando, Florida. Her speech took place during the lunch session on the third day of the event.
Sally Greenberg attended the 2025 Health Leadership Conference, “The Future of Leadership,” at the National Health Council in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Sally Greenberg attended Steven Grossman’s retirement celebration after 18 years of dedicated service as Executive Director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA. She joined fellow board members in honoring his contributions and welcoming the new Executive Director, Dr. Cartier Esham.
Sally Greenberg lobbied in Albany, New York, for the Fashion Act, a proposed bill requiring fashion retailers and manufacturers to disclose their environmental and social policies and fund projects benefiting environmental justice communities.
Sally Greenberg interviews with Ken Biberaj on a recent episode of Coffee with Ken.
Sally Greenberg attended the CHCI Swearing-in Ceremony and Reception to Celebrate Newly Elected and Re-elected Hispanic Members of Congress.
We’re excited to announce Marcia Eugenio’s induction into the CLC Child Labor Advocacy Hall of Fame! After decades of leadership in combating child and forced labor, Marcia’s incredible impact continues to inspire.
President Biden discussed his administration’s economic record at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC.
Sally Greenberg attended the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety Awards event at the Capitol Visitor Center.
Sally Greenberg and NCL staff enjoyed a festive visit to the White House for its Holiday Open House Tour. The event showcased beautiful decorations and holiday cheer!
Sally Greenberg, NCL’s CEO, speaks on an educational panel on the 340B Drug Pricing Program. This session is for patient advocacy groups to deepen their understanding of 340B.
Robin Strongin speaks about the future of pharmacists and pharmacy-based healthcare as a panelist, hosted by the Milken Institute.
The Child Labor Coalition recently inducted Nina Smith, the founding CEO of GoodWeave International, into the Child Labor Coalition Advocacy Hall of Fame for her three decades of creative and innovative leadership in the global fight to reduce child labor.
Robin Strongin attends the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit 2024.
Robin Strongin discusses 340B across state legislatures as a panelist at the annual Pfizer State Legislative Summit.
Robin Strongin attends the Public Health Grand Rounds at the Aspen Institute for a discussion on Joshua Roman’s new project and life with long Covid.
Robin Strongin and a panel of experts explore the importance of accessing trustworthy health information, ways to find credible health information and actions to take to be an empowered health consumer.
Robin Strongin and Amy Dark, from the National Association of School Nurses, discuss school nurses role in vaccine uptake and their relationships with pharmacists in this Script Your Future Webinar.
Sally Greenberg, NCL’s CEO, visits Turkey for the Fair Labor Association board meeting. While there she visited a school for children of migrant workers, toured a hazelnut factory, and connected with fellow board members and FLA-accredited company representatives.
Robin Strongin attended the Eisai Advocacy Policy Summit on October 21 and 22. She also gave the closing keynote on the 22nd.
Robin Strongin attended the Coalition for Trust in Health & Science Member Meeting.
NCL CEO Sally Greenberg was honored with the prestigious HerMANA award by MANA at the AT&T Forum in recognition of her commitment to inclusivity and advocacy on behalf of consumers. This award aligns with MANA’s mission to strengthen Latinas through mentoring, education, and advocacy, focusing on key issues such as health equity and financial health.
NCL’s Child Labor Coalition Cocoa workgroup hosted a meeting which featured research findings from the American Institutes of Research (AIR) on child labor and forced labor in cocoa supply chains globally. AIR’s Vanessa Hoffman shared the research, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s International Labor Affairs Bureau.
Sally Greenberg meets with Novo Nordisk Foundation staff at the New York Stock Exchange.
John Breyault sat down with Scott McCartney for a fireside chat at the American Society of Travel Advisors’ Travel Industry Forecast event at the National Press Club on September 16. John provided insights and analysis relating to consumer protection for airline passengers. See video of the chat here.
The Biden Administration is working on a new rule to require airlines to compensate passengers for controllable cancellations or delays of three hours or more. This could be a game-changer for passengers and the entire US aviation industry, bringing much-needed accountability to the airlines. Such rules have been in place for years in Europe, Canada, Brazil, and other countries.
Exciting news from the Democratic National Convention! Our very own Sally Greenberg, CEO of the National Consumers League, is on the ground, connecting with leaders and advocates who share our commitment to #consumerrights and #consumerprotection.
Robin Strongin spoke on a webinar hosted by the National Minority Quality Forum, discussing the complexities and challenges of the 340B Program.
Sally Greenberg attended the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) annual celebration to honor the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), demonstrating her continued support for disability rights and inclusion.
NCL and Robin Strongin were awarded the Biosimilars Champion award for the Script Your Future work done on increasing access to and awareness of lower-cost biosimilars for patients.
Sally participated in the Menopause Advocacy Working Group meeting, a project of Let’s Talk Menopause, on June 27. The discussion focused on advocating for accurate medication warnings and improving health outcomes for menopausal women.
Robin Strongin attended AcademyHealth’s two-day Expert Meeting on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Health Services Research that brought together thought leaders and innovators to explore AI’s potential in healthcare.
Ryan Barhoush, LifeSmarts Competitions Coordinator, will be attending the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy and the National Endowment for Financial Education event on June 5th.
Sally Greenberg and Robin Strongin attended the 42nd Annual Gourmet Gala for the March of Dimes. The event featured over 40 members of Congress who participated as Congressional Chefs, serving their favorite hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and drinks.
NCL’s Health Advisory Council spring meeting discussed Al in health and medicine and what consumers should know. Moderated by NCL Director of Health Policy Robin Strongin, the meeting included speakers Ramin Bastani, Founder and CEO of Healthvana; Tina Olson Grande, MHS, President and CEO of Healthcare Trust Institute; Leah Binder, President and CEO of Leapfrog Group; and Hassan Tetteh, MD, MBA, MPA, MS, CEO of Human Care Technologies
Robin Strongin will be speaking on a panel during the Health Technology Innovation Policy Conference 2024, hosted by the Stanford Biodesign Policy Program.
NCL hosted the 2024 National LifeSmarts Championship in San Diego, CA.
Robin Strongin, Senior Director of Health Policy, joined the Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease (PFID) on a webinar where she presented new public opinion polling and insights from key stakeholders on the state of vaccination and efforts to rebuild trust.
Sam Sears, Health Policy Associate, attended the 2nd Annual HHS Black Maternal Health Outcomes Matter Summit, in commemoration of Black Maternal Health Week.
Robin Strongin, Senior Director of Health Policy, discussed the vaccine lessons learned from previous Script Your Future Team Challenge Winners! The webinar had been prerecorded and made available to the public.
Robin Strongin, Senior Director of Health Policy, as well as representatives from the FDA Office of Therapeutic Biologics and Biosimilars for a webinar on biosimilars. This webinar was prerecorded and, while aimed at students of pharmacy, made available for the public.
Sally Greenberg, James Perry, and Reid Maki enjoying the solar eclipse spectacle at Farragut Square, DC.
Sally Greenberg and Elena Robertson attended an event sponsored by One Fair Wage.
Sally Greenberg and Board member Joi Chaney attended Girls Inc DC’s Women’s History Month Celebration.
Robin Strongin, Senior Director of Health Policy, will be speaking on Thursday, March 7th at the “Creating a Patient-Centered 340B Drug Pricing Program” briefing hosted by Third Way.
Join us for hors d’oeuvres and refreshments as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of LifeSmarts and honor our committed LifeSmarts partners.
NCL and NCOA will host a press conference at the National Press Club, which will be simulcast online at 9:30 am on January 31.
Sally Greenberg, John Breyault, and Ryan Barhoush attended the One Fair Wage Mayors for Livable Wages event in Washington, DC Friday, January 19. The event, which included Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Dearborn, MI Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, and many more mayors across the country, called for raising workers’ wages in the midst of the rising cost of living.
Sally attended the Ban Menthol rally in DC on January 18 hosted by SavingBlackLives.org.
NCLC Senior Attorney Margot Saunders and CTIA Assistant Vice President Sarah Leggin will join NCL experts to discuss text message phishing and scams.
At the EPI webinar, the discussion centered around the rise of U.S. child labor and strategies to combat it.
NCL’s Health Advisory Council winter meeting discussed health misinformation and disinformation and how to help consumers navigate through this oftentimes overwhelming and confusing space. Moderated by NCL Director of Health Policy Robin Strongin, the meeting included speakers Dr. Reed Tuckson, Chair and Co-founder of Coalition for Trust in Healthcare & Science; Amy Hinojosa, President and CEO of MANA National; Dr. Adam Friedman of George Washington University; and Dr. Robert Califf, FDA Commissioner.
In honor of the 1-year anniversary of the passing of One Fair Wage’s Initiative 82, a celebration of workers, employers, and consumers will take place today, November 8 at 1 pm at Busboys and Poets. Sally will be a featured speaker at the event.
Sally Greenberg and John Breyault attended the Consumer Action 52nd Anniversary reception, an event held to honor long-serving Executive Director, Mr. Ken McEldowney, who recently retired.
Cannabis Consumer Watch will host a Capitol Hill briefing to educate policymakers and staff about the public health risks of current cannabinoids. NCL will be represented by Robin Strogin, Senior Director of Health Policy.
On October 11 NCL will present Trumpeter Awards to Kathleen Sebelius, Former Secretary of Health and Human Services and Former Governor of Kansas, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Fraidy Reiss, Founder and Executive Director or Unchained At Last, will receive the Florence Kelley Award. NCL has been honoring visionaries in consumer and worker protection with its annual Trumpeter Award since 1973.
Sally Greenberg and John Breyault have been invited to the White House to attend the President’s Announcement on protecting consumers from hidden junk fees.
Sally Greenberg attended to the Global Labor Justice- International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF) event.
AARP Director of Fraud Prevention Kathy Stokes will join NCL experts for a conversation about how advocates, media, and policymakers can create victim-centered dialogues about fraud.
Sally Greenberg attended the Consumer Federation of America National Food Policy Conference.
Sally Greenberg, NCL CEO, attended the Friends of Cancer Research conference “Supporting the Use of Real World Data in Oncology Drug Development” September 11, 2023 where FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf spoke.
On Monday, July 24, 2023, our Health Policy Director Robin Strongin spoke at the Accelerate Approval for Patients Congressional Briefing. Hosted by Patients Rising Now, the event focused on the new dynamics between CMS and FDA and its impact on patients.
NCL CEO Sally Greenberg spoke at this year’s We Work For Health Summit. As part of panel focusing on PBMs, Sally shared her knowledge of how patient health suffers as PBMs are involved in practices such as the need for prior authorizations and step therapy.
Sally Greenberg attended the Public Citizen’s 50th Anniversary Gala at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC.
Industry and policy leaders gathered for the Spring Health Advisory Council meeting. Critical topics discussed included addressing barriers to medication access and improving primary care accessibility.
Create a Patients’ Bill of Rights for People with overweight and obesity, the National Consumers League and the National Council on Aging are conducting a series of town halls in 2023 to help determine what “rights” are necessary for older adults to be in charge of their own health when seeking and obtaining obesity care.
The availability of cannabinoid-containing products following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill has increased exponentially, partially driven by demand and interest in its potential health and wellness benefits. However, questions remain on the legality, quality, safety, and effectiveness of many of these products.
John participated in a wide-ranging scam prevention roundtable in Arlington, VA hosted by Amazon. The event brought together stakeholders from consumer groups, tech companies, and the financial sector to discuss ways to improve scam awareness and victim support.
A Hill briefing on accessing lower cost bio biosimilars, an alternative to name-brand biologic pharmaceuticals, will take place on Wednesday, May 17. Sally and the following distinguished leaders are scheduled to share their experiences:
Jason Harris, Vice President Government Affairs, National Psoriasis Foundation
Anna Hyde, Vice President Policy and Access, The Arthritis Foundation
Bret Jackson, President & CEO, Economic Alliance of Michigan
Sally and Reid Maki attended an event hosted by Unchained at Last, the organization that is dedicated to ending forced and child marriage in the United States. The exclusive event featured a conversation between Former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton and Fraidy Reiss, the Founder and Executive Director of Unchained at Last. Fraidy is an activist against forced marriage, child marriage, and teenage marriage.
Chief Counsel for Development & Innovation at the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Dan Salsburg will join with NCL experts to discuss business email compromise.
NCL staff will be attending the 29th LifeSmarts National Championship in Cincinnati.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and his Chief of Staff, Monalisa Dugué, join Georgetown University Law Center adjunct faculty member David Goodfriend for a discussion on technology policy, how they view the Supreme Court and what has influenced it, climate issues, and the role of staff in the legislative process.
Sally Greenberg attended the Antitrust Seminar at Utah School of Law in Salt Lake City.
In honor of National Credit Education Month, NCL is partnering with FICO.
To mark National Women’s History Month NCL honors five women who continue to dedicate their career advocating and fighting for consumers.
NCL Vice President John Breyault co-hosted an evening reception in honor of National Consumer Protection Week with Project GOAL, Consumer Action, Safe Kids Worldwide, and Amazon. Working across government, industry, and consumer advocacy, we celebrated the importance of protecting consumers.
Sally will be moderating a virtual panel at a March conference focused on HIPAA, the law that protects privacy of our health information. The summit will focus on consumer protection, anti-trust enforcement, and worker rights.
NCL joined with Consumer Federation of America and Sports Fans Coalition to launch the Ticket Buyer Bill of Rights. The goal of the initiative is to give policymakers a clear set of principles for crafting pro-consumer and pro-competition live event ticketing reform legislation.
The Child labor Coalition is cohosting the event with Accountability Research Center, Peacejam, and Satyarthi. Len Morris’s short film, “Butterfly, Butterfly,” explores the plight of child laborers in the United States and abroad and is an urgent call-to-action for policymakers.
NCL Vice President John Breyault testified before the Maryland House of Delegates in support of HB 795, a bill that would strengthen consumer protections against unfair and deceptive live event ticketing practices.
Sally will speak at the 25th International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association Annual in Orlando, FL.
Sally and Reid Maki attended the Fight Like Hell: The Testimony of Mother Jones movie in The Cinema at Eaton DC.
Reid Maki attended the Human Trafficking Legal Center and co-hosted a panel discussion on child forced labor in the United States. The panel discussed policy recommendations to prevent these crimes and to hold perpetrators accountable.
Sally and Robin Strongin, NCL’s Senior Director of Health Policy, will attend a conference on Protecting Treatment Choice: Perspectives from Patients, Providers, and Advocates.
Reid Maki, NCL’s Director of Child Labor Advocacy attended the Free the Slaves celebration. Last month, the Alliance 8.7 unanimously adopted an accountability framework for Pathfinder countries committed to achieving Target 8.7 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
John will be speaking on a panel about data breach notifications organized as part of the Identity Theft Resource Center and Better Identity Coalition’s Identity, Authentication, and the Road Ahead” conference.
Sally attended the Kelley Drye’s Government Relations & Public Policy Practice for the 18th annual Congressional Forum – A Look at the Legislative Agenda for 2023. This event provides clients and friends an opportunity to learn first-hand from federal legislators and leading policy makers about topics that will be relevant in the 118th Congress
Sally will participate in the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) Action Patient Voices for Telehealth Coalition Meeting that will provide perspectives on federal and state policies related to virtual care and discuss the activities to support the advancement of telehealth.
Sally receives a certificate of appreciation for NCL’s work on the consumer and worker protections subcommittee of the transition team for DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb.
VP of Fraud Policy & Telecommunications John Breyault will be one of the speakers at a panel discussion about the prevalence of fake online reviews, their impact on companies and consumers alike, and the steps policymakers can take to stop their spread.
Sally will join TikTok CEO Shou Chew for an update on Project Texas, the company’s plan to enhance efforts to protect data and secure platform integrity. The Flyer is in the link below.
Impact 100 DC is an all-volunteer women’s philanthropic community dedicated to improving lives in the Greater Washington, DC area by collectively funding transformational grants to local nonprofit organizations.
In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, Sally participated in the MLK parade in DC, where she ran into Chairman of the DC Council Phil Mendelson. Check out her photos in the link below.
Sally and the NCL team joined our friends from the Consumer Federation of America to celebrate CFA’s 50 years of work on behalf of consumer protection and safety and to pay tribute to some of the leading consumer advocates working to keep Americans safe, healthy, and free from predatory practices.
Sally is part of the transition team for incoming DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office and the team is delivering a document with recommendations for priorities for the AG for his work on consumer protection, antitrust investigations, and worker rights and protections.
NCL is leading the charge for a comprehensive federal privacy statute. In her op-ed for The Hill publication, Sally explains why such protections are important and winnable.
John is one of the speakers at this November conference in Orlando.
Sally and John Breyault, NCL’s Vice President of Fraud Policy & Telecommunications, attended a Capitol Hill briefing to provide background information and an outline for congressional action to make the live ticketing marketplace more fair and transparent. John also served as a panelist.
Sally joined consumer colleagues and companies that work with consumers to advance good policies at a reception to celebrate the 51st anniversary of Consumer Action. At the event, Senator Ed Markey joined consumer advocates in accepting an award for his decades of outstanding leadership in both the House and Senate.
Sally joined a panel of international experts on the transformation of the labor market in Uzbekistan; a labor market that once forced children to leave school to work picking in cotton fields to one that now boasts a more fair, transparent, and worker-friendly cotton sector. Ten years ago NCL and our Child Labor Coalition were part of a protest at the Uzbekistan embassy calling for an end to that country’s treatment of children.
NCL’s Sally Greenberg attends the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
The work of the National Consumers League is making a difference in people’s lives across the country. Meet some of the consumers touched by our programs.
Read about NCL’s impact
Paige, 55, a Nashville wife and mother of two, answered an employment ad for secret shoppers. Before sending payment to the scammers, she reached out to NCL.
Read about NCL’s impact
A grease fire flared up in Decklan’s kitchen. As his family scrambled and panicked, fearing that the whole house might erupt in flames, Decklan remained calm. He hurried over to the pantry, grabbed some baking soda, and dumped it on the fire quickly extinguishing the blaze.
Read about NCL’s impact
Cincinnati resident Charles, 45, lost his computer business — and health insurance— during a time of economic downturn. A diabetic, Charles was now unable to afford his medication. He stopped taking it which made him seriously ill and put his life at risk.
Read about NCL’s impact
Jeremy is a fast-food worker who has been employed at a number of Chipotle restaurants in New York City. When he was just 20 years old, he took part in an NCL research project that revealed that management practices within the fast food chain were putting workers—and food safety for customers—at risk.
Read about NCL’s impact
By Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director
While the COVID-19 pandemic has led to hardship for all Americans, it is clear that people of color have been disproportionately burdened. Across the health care continuum, addressing this disparity has become part of the broader conversation about the history of systemic racism and the underlying social determinants of health that negatively affect the mental, physical, and economic health of individuals and entire communities.
The pandemic has underscored persistent health disparities, and there is growing recognition that representation in research and clinical trials can have a profound impact on health outcomes. A lack of representation from racially and ethnically diverse groups in research and clinical trials have typically led to gaps in data, missing the opportunity to assess the full impact of various treatments and drugs across a range of populations. The collection and use of real-world research and data to inform the potential use, risks, and benefits of medical products and treatments can ultimately lead to better health outcomes, particularly for those who have been underrepresented in the past.
Existing efforts to improve inclusion
Efforts to expand diversity and representation in medical research are underway in Congress. Policymakers are encouraging the incorporation of Real World Evidence (RWE) in drug development through the recent Cures 2.0 draft legislation released by Reps. Diana Degette (D-CO-1) and Fred Upton (D-MI-6). While the status quo limits us from effectively reaching underserved populations, the proposed legislation would allow studies that include RWE for some drugs after they have been approved. At the heart of this issue is a growing appreciation that the same therapy can affect different populations in different ways, which is why Cures 2.0 supports collecting data that more accurately reflects the unique experiences and needs of patients across diverse populations.
Recognizing the potential for RWE in maternal health
The lack of representative research in the field of maternal health is undeniable, and its implications are staggering. The dismal state of maternal care in the United States reflects how our health care system has failed women of color, including by not adequately studying treatment options to prevent maternal morbidity and mortality. The need for RWE is clear when you consider the persistent disparities in health outcomes that plague minority communities.
Preterm birth and its disproportionate impact on women of color is a stark illustration of the need to make progress on representative research in maternal health. Preterm birth is the second-largest contributor to infant death in America today. Despite the tremendous physical, emotional, and financial toll that preterm birth continues to take on our country — disproportionately so on women and families of color — not enough therapeutic tools currently exist to prevent it.
Today, “17P,” the only FDA-approved treatment to help reduce the likelihood of spontaneous, recurrent preterm birth in the United States is at-risk of being withdrawn from the market in all its forms, including the branded product and five generic versions. Unfortunately there is conflicting evidence from two different clinical trials, one representative of a diverse U.S. population and another studied in a largely white population in Europe. It’s not a straightforward comparison. If 17P is withdrawn, the women most affected by preterm birth, predominantly women of color, would be left without an FDA-approved treatment option.
The FDA is considering the path forward, including additional data collection through leveraging RWE from past patient use. The success of the first (approval) trial for 17P in the impacted communities signals the importance of RWE. Continued access to 17P is, at its core, a matter of health equity. Black women must not yet again be left vulnerable to a system that historically has overlooked them.
