DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens’ chief clinical trials officer Ramita Tandon has dedicated her professional life for more than 25 years to transforming the drug development life cycle through innovative applications and unconventional business models.

“Early in my career, I developed my passion and purpose,” Tandon says. “I am fiercely passionate about equity and accessibility for the health of our patients. We saw firsthand during COVID 19 the positive impact nontraditional channels, like retail pharmacy, had on our communities to receive the ­vaccinations.”

In 2022, Tandon spearheaded the launch of the Walgreens Real World Evidence Clinical Trials business, marking a significant milestone in her career. This initiative aims to revolutionize how clinical trials are brought to communities, focusing on increasing patient access and equity in drug development. Her leadership in this venture demonstrates her commitment to making a meaningful impact on patients and communities through clinical research.

Ramita Tandon

“The business has a clear mis-sion and purpose to increase patient access and equity in drug development,” Tandon says. “The impact clinical research has on patients and our communities fuels my passion to continue showing up every day.”

As chief clinical trials officer, Tandon drives growth for Walgreens’ clinical trials business. The team is responsible for efficiently matching patients with clinical trials, emphasizing the inclusion of traditionally underrepresented populations in the drug development process.

“Our team is grounded in our mission to match patients with clinical trials quickly and efficiently, ensuring that traditionally underrepresented populations are now an equal part of the detection, diagnosis and drug development process,” she says. “We are committed to the communities we serve and the estimated 95% of the U.S. population that doesn’t participate in clinical research because of varying challenges.”

Tandon takes pride in her team’s achievements, including signing over 35 contracts that have made clinical trials more accessible to a broader segment of the U.S. population. Under her guidance, Walgreens has successfully engaged underrepresented people in clinical trials, exceeding U.S. averages for clinical trial participation among Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino patients.

Tandon finds immense satisfaction in increasing representation in clinical trials for underrepresented groups nationwide. Her efforts in women’s health and increasing the representation of women in clinical research have been particularly impactful. Since the launch of the Real World Evidence Clinical Trials business, 60% of the patients contacted for clinical trial participation have been women.