Inside the Alliance for Aging Research: Closing the Gap Between Innovation and Patient Access

What does it take to make sure innovation, policy, and public health actually work for older adults? Too often, patients and caregivers face a hard path from diagnosis to treatment, shaped by Medicare complexity, out-of-pocket costs, communication gaps, and administrative barriers that get in the way of care.In this episode of Patient Advocacy Voices, host Eric Racine is joined by co-host Katie Oppenheim, Head of US Government Relations at Sanofi, for a conversation with Sue Peschin, President and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research. Together, they discuss how aging research, Medicare policy, vaccine education, and patient advocacy come together to shape access and outcomes for older adults.Sue shares how the Alliance for Aging Research is working to change the narrative on healthy aging, advance evidence-based policy, and help patients better navigate the system. Drawing both on her leadership experience and her personal perspective as a caregiver, she offers practical insight into the barriers older adults face and what it takes to reduce them.In this episode, you’ll hear about:How Medicare benefit design, affordability, and utilization management can affect real patient accessWhy aging research matters for chronic disease, infectious disease, and healthier lives as people ageHow advocacy organizations help translate complex policy changes into useful guidance for patients and familiesWhy vaccine education and trusted communication still matter, especially for older adultsWhat mission-driven leadership looks like during times of policy and public health changeThis episode offers practical lessons for advocacy leaders, policymakers, and anyone working to make the healthcare system easier to navigate for older adults and caregivers.