The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women and Verily’s Project Baseline Collaborate to Include More Women in Scientific Research

“Research Goes Red” will encourage women to participate in clinical research in the fight against their number one killer

DALLAS and South San Francisco, CA - February 26, 2019 - The American Heart Association, the leading global public health organization devoted to a world of longer healthier lives, and Verily, Alphabet’s life sciences and healthcare arm, are joining forces on Research Goes Red, a new initiative to engage women in scientific research that may one day lead to the treatment and cure of the world’s number one killer. Leveraging the American Heart Association's leading Go Red for Women® movement to end heart disease and stroke in women, Research Goes Red invites women across the United States to join the fight by taking part in a major heart health research collaboration through Verily's Project Baseline.

Historically, clinical studies have not adequately enrolled women or analyzed women-specific heart health data, even though cardiovascular disease remains a woman’s greatest health threat, claiming the lives of one in three women¹ every year.

Beginning in February, American Heart Month, women can join the initiative through Project Baseline, a digital platform and community designed to make it easy and engaging to participate in clinical research and drive healthcare innovation. They may have opportunities to take part in surveys and focus groups, contribute data for clinical research projects, and test new tools, technologies and treatments in the years to come. The initiative aims to raise awareness about heart disease among women and how participation in research could further scientific understanding of heart health.

“Research Goes Red empowers our growing and passionate community of committed and engaged women to share their health information to greatly enhance what we know about women’s heart disease and potentially help prevent it,“ said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, American Heart Association. “Our collaboration with Verily through Project Baseline will accelerate world-class clinical research powered by the momentum of the Go Red for Women movement.”

Nearly 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented,² yet more than 17.3 million people die from cardiovascular disease globally each year. Go Red for Women and Project Baseline want to change these statistics by increasing the number of female participants in clinical studies.

“Through clinical research we have an opportunity to uncover new insights about health, and by making it easy for individuals to participate, we can develop a comprehensive map that could inform treatment or care decisions,” said Jessica Mega, chief medical and scientific officer, Verily. “Collaborating with the American Heart Association through Project Baseline will help inform more women about the value of participating in research, how to contribute, and a new way to ‘Go Red’.”

The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement has been a trusted, passionate, relevant force for change to end heart disease and stroke in women all over the world for the last 15 years. Go Red for Women provides a platform for women to come together, raise awareness, fund lifesaving research, advocate for change and improve the lives of all women everywhere.

The American Heart Association has been associated with Project Baseline since the latter’s launch in 2017. Project Baseline began with a landmark study in partnership with Duke University School of Medicine, Stanford Medicine and Google to better understand health, disease and the transition between the two. In expanding its platform to make it easy for everyone to participate in clinical research, Project Baseline is focused on capturing health information through clinical research and people’s day-to-day lives to drive healthcare innovation and improve lives.

Research Goes Red marks an important step for Go Red For Women and Project Baseline with a shared mission towards improving lives — starting by involving more women in research to better understand heart health. Learn more at projectbaseline.com/gored.

Join American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown and Jessica Mega, chief medical and scientific officer of Verily, for a Facebook Live event featuring Research Goes Red beginning at 3pm PT/5pm CT/6pm ET on Thursday, February 28, 2019 at facebook.com/americanheart.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a leading force for a world of longer, healthier lives. With nearly a century of lifesaving work, the Dallas-based association is dedicated to ensuring equitable health for all. We are a trustworthy source empowering people to improve their heart health, brain health and well-being. We collaborate with numerous organizations and millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, advocate for stronger public health policies, and share lifesaving resources and information. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

About Verily

Launched in 2015, Verily is a subsidiary of Alphabet focused on life sciences and healthcare. Verily’s mission is to make the world’s health data useful so that people enjoy healthier lives. Verily develops tools and devices to collect, organize and activate health data, and creates interventions to prevent and manage disease. Verily partners with leading life sciences, medical device and government organizations, using deep hardware, software, scientific, and healthcare expertise to enable faster development, meaningful advances, and deployment at scale. For more information, please visit verily.com.

Media Contacts:

American Heart Association
Cathy Lewis
Cathy.Lewis@heart.org
214-706-1324

Verily
Emily Friedman
efriedman@verily.com