Eczema is the second most common skin disease to affect African Americans.9
In our product innovation processes, we aim to understand and address the needs of our patients and consumers around the world. Through our innovation network across all business segments, we connect life science and health technology innovators with the breadth and depth of offerings that are unique to Johnson & Johnson.
All product innovation across Pharmaceutical, MedTech and Consumer Health relies upon robust testing of our products before they reach the market. We leverage our expertise, experience and resources, as well as global collaborations and partnerships, to deliver an inclusive research and innovation environment in all our product development.
DEI in Healthcare Innovation
Johnson & Johnson encourages health innovators and entrepreneurs by sponsoring JLABS QuickFire Challenges. These impactful competitions support innovators and entrepreneurs in finding potential health solutions for their communities.
Here are some examples from 2022:
- Johnson & Johnson awarded $500,000 to two organizations seeking to improve immune-mediated pregnancy outcomes in mothers and children from BIPOC communities.
- Three awardees received $400,000 in grant funding and Johnson & Johnson mentorship to tackle early intervention, closing care gaps, and more within oncology therapeutics.
- We concluded the two-year Veterans Lead QuickFire Challenge Series, awarding $1,000,000 over two years to groundbreaking ideas across 12 organizations that aim to directly address the healthcare needs of the military community.
35
%
of QuickFire Challenge awardees in 2022 were women-led teams
4
QuickFire Challenges launched in 2022 were specifically health equity-focused
20
%
of QuickFire Challenge awardees in 2022 were teams led by people of color
$
1.55
Million
awarded to 14 innovators in 2022
DEI Through Our Brands
Across Johnson & Johnson, we aim to raise awareness and deliver products that support diverse languages, skin colors, types and conditions.
Examples of this work in 2022 include:
Supporting Inclusive Prescribing Information
Identifying an opportunity to enhance the healthcare experiences for Spanish speakers, our HOLA ERG collaborated with Janssen to translate labels for all Janssen products in the U.S. into Spanish. From 2023, Janssen will provide Spanish-language prescribing and medical information on all Janssen patient-facing brand websites.
The Hispanic/Latino population in the United States has one of the highest rates of vision correction issues. That’s more than 60 million people (according to the U.S. Census) who could benefit from having more access to eye health education materials, more culturally relevant information about eye exams, and more personalized details about contact lenses. Spanish-speaking or bilingual patients and eye care professionals (ECPs) can now access ACUVUE Habla Español on JJVPRO.com for personal and relevant promotional material from the ACUVUE OASYS MAX 1-Day launch. The launch, which occurred simultaneously in English and Spanish for the first time, includes a translated Acuvue.com page for Spanish-speaking consumers with contact lens information, a link to a doctor find tool, educational resources, and more.
Did you know?
9 SOCS, https://skinofcolorsociety.org/patient-dermatology-education/eczema/, accessed March 2023.
Raising Awareness About Eczema
AVEENO’s #SKINVISIBILITY campaign during Eczema Awareness Month highlighted eczema, a chronic disease impacting the Black population. AVEENO U.S. hosted an Instagram talk series addressing consumers’ most pressing questions tied to Black skin health and visibility. Combined with this talk series, in 2022 AVEENO achieved its goal of helping 100,000 Eczema Warriors through educational resources, tools and products. By 2023, AVEENO hopes to help an additional 200,000 Eczema Warriors.
Steven Reis
Director of AVEENO, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health
Brands Supporting the LGBTQIA+ Community
CARE WITH PRIDE is an employee-led initiative, supported by our Open&Out ERG, engaging 12 Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health and Pharmaceutical brands committed to championing equality, inclusivity, care and representation for the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2022, CARE WITH PRIDE donated more than $1 million to LGBTQIA+ nonprofit groups to date. In 2022, the initiative expanded from its U.S. base to include Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan and the UK. The initiative supports a range of events, including performances by LGBTQIA+ artists and educational discussions, as well as limited edition CARE WITH PRIDE products from Consumer Health brands, NEUTROGENA and CLEAN & CLEAR.
Addressing Oral Health Inequities in Black LGBTQIA+ Communities
Recognizing that both Black consumers and LGBTQIA+ consumers experience oral health inequities, our LISTERINE brand, supported by our Open&Out ERG, developed an initiative to better understand and address the specific needs to improve oral health experiences in these communities.
Supporting Smoking Cessation in the LGBTQIA+ Community
In the UK, our NICORETTE brand collaborated with Gay Times, a UK-based LGBTQ+ media brand, for the second year on a campaign to explore the LGBTQIA+ relationship with smoking and to encourage quitting. The campaign includes testimonials from the LGBTQIA+ community on quitting smoking and other resources including videos and articles.
