Patient-centered advocacy is often discussed as a principle, but far less often practiced as a discipline. In this episode of Chief Influencer, Anthony Shop speaks with Dr. Eric Racine about what it truly means to put patients at the center—and why influence in healthcare depends on trust, alignment, and proximity to lived experience. Eric shares how personal loss early in his life shaped his belief that innovation only becomes progress when patients can access it, and how his early career as a clinical pharmacist revealed the real human needs preventing access to those innovations.

Now U.S. Head of Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy at Sanofi, Eric reflects on how his definition of influence has evolved—from performance and expertise to presence, listening, and partnership. He explains why patient advocates are among the most effective leaders he has ever learned from, why clarity on the problem matters more than debating solutions, and why the future of influence belongs to those who can align people and systems without losing humanity—especially in an AI-accelerated world.

Takeaways:

• Influence is a system, not a function. Lasting impact comes from trust, credibility, and alignment—not titles or volume.
• Patient access is personal. Eric shares how the loss of two siblings to a rare disease shaped his belief that innovation only matters if it reaches patients.
• The human factor matters most. A formative lesson from Eric’s time in Detroit showed that even the best clinical solutions fail if basic human needs are overlooked.
• The people closest to the problem see most clearly. Patient advocates bring unmatched clarity, urgency, and credibility—and are among the most effective influencers in healthcare.
• From performance to presence. Great leaders don’t need all the answers; they need to be present, listen deeply, and align others around the right problem.
• Alignment beats authority. Progress happens when leaders align on the problem, define shared outcomes, and create space for collaboration.
• True patient centricity is a discipline. It requires engaging patients and advocates early—co-defining problems, not reacting to finished solutions.
• AI elevates judgment, not humanity. Eric believes the future belongs to leaders who pair technology with emotional intelligence, trust, and authentic influence.

Quote of the Show:

• “Influence today is about … clarity. It's about trust. It's about helping people that you work with [see] the real problem.”

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericracine/ 
• Website: https://www.sanofi.com/en