Nevada FQHC Partners to Improve Access to Clinical Trials

Nevada Health Centers (NVHC), a large nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center, is partnering with an integrated research organization to reach more patients who are traditionally underrepresented in clinical trials.

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Javara said it will employ and embed clinical research professionals within NVHC clinics to work alongside physicians and medical staff, providing all aspects of operational collaboration to deliver clinical trials as a care option to their patients.

NVHC is the largest primary care provider for uninsured, underinsured, and geographically isolated Nevadans, with 18 locations and nearly 100 practitioners across the state, spanning Las Vegas, Carson City, Reno, and Elko. The immediate focus of this new partnership is the Reno and Carson City locations. Javara and NVHC anticipate activation of the first clinical trials in internal medicine in the fall of 2023.

“When seeking a partner to guide Nevada Health Centers’ efforts to develop a clinical trials program for our patients, Javara most closely aligned with our organizational mission and vision,” said Walter Davis, Nevada Health Centers CEO, in a statement. “We are a safety net provider for the community, and many of our patients live with chronic conditions. This partnership enables us to offer both access to innovative treatments and advanced education to our patients and establish a greater sense of trust in research. We are excited to be positioned as a contributor to the scientific knowledge base that helps improve the delivery and understanding of medicine.”

Javara is now spanning eight states – with direct access to rural communities not previously exposed to research opportunities.

“As an FQHC, many patients served by Nevada Health Centers are from regions and demographic groups that have traditionally been sorely underrepresented in clinical trials,” said Jennifer Byrne, Javara founder and CEO, in a statement. “Javara is grateful for the trust of Nevada Health Centers to bring access to novel treatments and innovative health care options to these communities for the first time. With a special focus on those patients with unmet medical needs in geographically isolated and otherwise marginalized regions, we are fully committed to the community benefit this partnership brings.”