IHI and Bristol Myers Squibb Launch National Collaborative to Expand Access to Cancer Clinical Trials

Three-year initiative will bring clinical research closer to patients and address barriers to trial participation

BOSTON, October 22, 2026--The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), in partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), is launching a new Cancer Collective Action Collaborative. This three‑year effort will mobilize healthcare and community partners to drive meaningful, sustainable change in access to and participation in oncology clinical trials, with a particular emphasis on lung and breast cancer.

"Removing barriers to clinical trials is both an imperative and an opportunity within our reach," said Shannon Stephens, MPH, IHI's Interim Vice President of Health Equity. "By valuing the lived expertise of patients alongside the clinical expertise of providers and taking a coordinated, collaborative approach, we can advance more equitable care and create sustainable change across the cancer care ecosystem."

Building on the foundation established by the Rise to Health Coalition, the Collaborative will bring together 24 teams across the healthcare ecosystem to address clinical trial participation barriers among populations disproportionately affected by cancer. Through shared learning and coordinated action, teams will improve how health systems connect eligible patients to clinical trial opportunities; build reliable and inclusive pathways; strengthen patient and community engagement and trust; equip care teams and community partners; and leverage data to support continuous learning and improvement.

"At BMS, we believe that every person should have the opportunity to benefit from our medicines and innovation, no matter who they are, where they live, or what they have," said Andrew Whitehead, Vice President, Head of Population Health at BMS. "The Cancer Collective Action Collaborative is an extension of our Population Health strategy, which shapes how we work to ensure access to care, including clinical trials that reflect the populations affected by disease."

The Challenge: Advancing Access and Participation in Oncology Clinical Trials

Cancer outcomes remain unequal across the United States. Black women are 38 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than White women, despite slightly lower incidence rates. Lung cancer mortality remains 14 percent higher among Black men than White men. Rural residents have significantly higher cancer incidence and mortality, such as 40 percent higher lung cancer risk, due to limited access to oncologists, fewer screening services, and longer travel distances for treatment.