Patients from all disease areas are today involved and organized from local to European level and we come together in the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) and national platforms for patient organisations. However, the patient movement needs strong political and resource support in order to become even more effective and strong partners. Our Susanna Palkonen in her role as EPF Board Member spoke about patient representation in a colloquium for Spanish members of parliament and senators from the health committees.
The case in focus was patient involvement at the European Medicines Agency, which Susanna introduced as a best practice example for equal and consistent involvement of patients throughout the evaluation, advice and pharmacovigilance tasks of the Agency. Debate followed and the senators and deputies were very interested on the EMA model but also had some clarifying questions about patients’ competence for involvement at this level.
It was great to hear that the highest levels across parties in Spain are keen to support and see the need for strong patient movement in a big country like Spain. The colloquium was organized 12 December in Madrid by Spanish newspaper on Pharmaceuticals, Diariopharma, following their first colloquium earlier in the year examining the UK NICE example.
Check Susanna's presentation
Learn more about the colloquium: https://www.diariofarma.com/2017/12/14/congreso-senado-ven-ganan-peso-los-pacientes-traves-la-ema
Susanna at the Colloqium for the spanish member of the parliament and senators