On Oct. 16, 2024, Sanofi announced it will contribute $18 million to three Historically Black Medical Schools to help the institutions work to increase diversity in clinical studies. The investment over 10 years is aimed at strengthening Centers of Excellence in clinical study diversity at Howard University College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, and Morehouse School of Medicine.

Funding will be used to hire clinical research staff, establish infrastructure such as online chat services and pharmacy upgrades, create customized training programs, and more. Each of the Centers of Excellence have their own specific needs, which will help them harness their insights into the underrepresented communities they serve as they seek to increase representation and improve diversity in clinical studies.

Sanofi is a global innovator in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion space, including by pioneering the international effort A Million Conversations to examine trust gaps in the healthcare system. In the U.S., Sanofi and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) announced a strategic partnership in July that is aimed at advancing health equity for Black and underserved communities.