Arlington, VA, Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inspire, the leading online health community, today announced the appointment of Otis Johnson, PhD, MPA, as Executive Advisor, and a strategic partnership with Trial Equity, a consultancy co-founded by Johnson dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion in clinical trials. The partnership is designed to enhance clinical research by ensuring equitable representation of historically underrepresented populations, improving both data quality and the accessibility of new treatments.

Otis Johnson is a renowned leader with more than 20 years of experience focused on promoting diversity in clinical trials. As Co-founder and Principal Consultant at Trial Equity, Johnson has led numerous initiatives to empower healthcare professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to engage diverse patient populations in clinical research. His innovative work has earned him significant recognition, including the 2024 Honorable Mentor Award from the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) and a spot on the 2022 Pharmavoice100 list. Johnson will provide strategic counsel to Inspire, helping the company expand its commitment to inclusivity in clinical trial recruitment.

"Inspire’s mission to amplify the patient voice aligns perfectly with the work we do at Trial Equity to ensure clinical trials are representative of all populations," said Johnson. "I’m excited to support Inspire in its efforts to deliver more inclusive and equitable research solutions, ultimately improving outcomes for diverse patient communities."

As part of this partnership, Inspire will integrate Trial Equity’s industry-leading education and thought leadership programs into its recruitment strategies. These initiatives will empower life sciences companies with the knowledge and resources to better reach and engage underrepresented populations in clinical trials, accelerating recruitment efforts while enhancing the relevance and validity of clinical research outcomes.

"Otis’s deep expertise in clinical trial diversity is a tremendous asset to Inspire, and our partnership with Trial Equity represents a significant step forward in addressing the lack of diversity in clinical research," said Brett Kleger, CEO of Inspire. "Together, we will work to expand opportunities for underrepresented groups to participate in clinical trials, ensuring that research reflects the full spectrum of patient experiences and needs."

Visit Inspire at the OCT New England conference to learn more about how Inspire and Trial Equity are driving greater diversity and inclusivity in clinical trials through innovative patient engagement strategies.

About Inspire
Inspire is the leading online health community, connecting over 10 million patients and caregivers across 3,000 disease areas. By focusing on patient-centric research, Inspire supports initiatives across the clinical development lifecycle—from preclinical research to post-market access—enabling life sciences organizations to capture real-world insights and accelerate medical advancements. For more information, visit www.corp.inspire.com.

About Trial Equity

Trial Equity is a leading consultancy advancing diversity and inclusion in clinical research. Through innovative e-learning technology, customized education, and thought leadership, Trial Equity empowers clinical research professionals to engage diverse patient populations, accelerate recruitment, and enhance data quality. Our mission is to ensure that medical research reflects and benefits all communities. For more information, visit www.trialequity.com.

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• Otis Johnson, PhD, MPA

Jillian Tygh
Inspire
267-254-3997
jillian.tygh@inspire.com