5 Questions: Dr. Yolanda Lawson on Health Equity, Alabama IVF

The head of the largest organization in the U.S. representing African American physicians and their patients says empathetic leaders who are willing to embrace diverse viewpoints are critical to advancing equity at a time when momentum to do so has slowed.

Dr. Yolanda Lawson, president of the National Medical Association, also says a lack of acknowledgment that disparities exist is threatening to undo progress toward greater diversity, equity and inclusion within health care. She spoke to U.S. News while taking part in a two-day summit hosted by the Black Directors Health Equity Agenda in Washington, D.C. – an event focused in part on addressing headwinds standing in the way of meaningful change.

Along with discussing how leaders can overcome DEI barriers, Lawson – an OB-GYN and women’s health advocate who also works on HIV treatment and prevention disparities – gave her reaction to the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling granting personhood to frozen embryos used in fertility treatments. The interview below has been edited for length and clarity.

What currently are the biggest challenges to the effort to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the health care field?

Lawson: The single biggest challenge right now is the lack of acknowledgement that health inequities and disparities exist. For me, because of the lack of acknowledgement, I feel that it’s going to stall progress. Not only does it stall progress, but we’re starting to see a reversal of progress.

So when you don’t acknowledge health inequities that affect policies, those policies are reversing the progress that we’ve made and the progress that we continue to try to make.

Why has there been pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts?

Lawson: I think in this country, it’s obvious at times that all life is not valued equally. As unfortunate as that is to say, there are narratives that are created that don’t reflect the actual circumstances that people are living in, and don’t reflect reality.

What is the best approach to try to overcome barriers to improving diversity, equity and inclusion? How can more substantive progress be made?

Lawson: The only path forward is really to ensure there are leaders who demonstrate empathy, who demonstrate truth, who are willing to listen and be informed by diverse voices. I think sometimes our leaders can be informed only by one segment of society. You need to be able to listen, because that’s what’s going to impact policies that encompass a broad enough lens to really overcome it, but it’s going to take a long time from where we are now.

After George Floyd’s death, we saw this acceleration where everyone was embracing equity. I thought that was really our tipping point, where we could really move past and gain some substantial impact in this country. But unfortunately, now we have seen this backlash. To overcome it, we really have to make sure we have empathetic leadership.

Why is increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in health care an important part of efforts to address racial health inequities?

Lawson: We don’t live in a monolithic or homogenous society. You have different ages, genders, races, and ethnicities – however broad you want to make the sub-categories. So to apply policies, it’s important that we’re researching and putting forth recommendations based on populations that represent what America is.

What impact do you think the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that embryos used in in vitro fertilization are children will have on access to such treatment for women more broadly and for women of color in particular?

Lawson: This ruling was actually shocking to me – absolutely shocking to me. This is another instance where policymakers engage in health care without, I feel, a complete understanding of the longstanding, long-lasting impacts this will have.

It’s just not thinking through the complete nature and implications of a decision like this.