National Medical Fellowships joins successful effort to ensure clinical trial participants, and their caregivers, can access the benefits of the Family Medical Leave Act.  

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) established the Coalition for Clinical Trial Equity (CCTE) to dismantle barriers and increase representation and access in clinical trials. More than a year ago, the Foundation submitted a Request for Opinion Letter about participation in clinical trials and the benefits of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The agency has recently affirmed that clinical trial participants may avail themselves of the law’s protections.  

FMLA provides those entitled to job-protected leave of absence to address time off to care for an individual’s or a family member’s serious health condition. While not all employees are eligible for FMLA, it is the model on which many states develop their legal protections.  

Members of the CCTE met with members of Congress and their staff to educate them about the importance of FMLA protections to expand clinical trial participation and make access to trials more equitable. The goal of these meetings was to galvanize Congressional support for the clarification of FMLA eligibility as it pertains to clinical trials.  

“This success shows the powerful effect of working in coalition,” said NMF Assistant Vice President of Global Programs and Clinical Trials Research Tracey Newman. “The NMF Diversity in Clinical Trials Research Program trains Emerging Investigators to lead clinical trials. This is one more barrier we have helped remove to ensure they can effectively recruit participants from all communities.”  

To learn more about the effort and what the Department of Labor clarification means, please read the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research’s press release.