EUPATI National Platform launched in Spain
On 4 November, in Madrid, over 60 patient, academic and industry representatives celebrated the launch of the Spanish Platform of EUPATI, the European Patients’ Academy led by EPF. Such a platform will accelerate the implementation of the project in this country and is the third of its kind, following two other successful launches earlier this year in the UK and in Ireland.
EUPATI project seeks to enhance patients’ involvement across the medicines research and development process. It provides patient advocates and the health-interest public with access to educational and training materials in 12 European countries, including Spain.
The project establishes National Liaison Teams in each country to facilitate the implementation. These teams in turns support the creation of EUPATI National Platforms.
Mercedes Maderuelo, of the Federation of Spanish Diabetics (FEDE) and Spanish National Liaison Team Chair, confirmed “the absolute need for a platform allowing patients, academic and industry to interact, not only with each other, but also with other national actors including government and regulatory bodies, healthcare professionals and the media to strengthen patient engagement in medicines R&D”.
Oscar Prieto, President of the Asociación de Afectados por Tumores Cerebrales en España and NLT patient member, called for “greater awareness raising around the patient’s right to participate in this process and around the educational and training tools needed by patients to access this right – now and in the future!”
Improving the quality of patient involvement and the number of patient leaders who can engage, is not a task left only to patients. Academia, Regulators and industry are key partners in enhancing patient involvement across medicines research and development processes.
Sara Perez, a researcher with the Complutense University of Madrid, spoke about a ‘paradigm’ shift in the collective approach towards patient involvement. Daniel Gil of Farmaindustria further echoed the need for companies to urgently and continuously adapt and respond to the needs and demands of patients.
National Platforms Coordinator Laura Kavanagh welcomed “the clear take-home message around the importance of patient-centricity and the call to action under the banner ‘¡Por, Para y Con el Paciente!’(*everything for and with the patient)”.
You can join the EUPATI National Platform in Spain on twitter: @EUPATI_Esp and on Facebook.
Contact: es-nltteam@eupati.eu or the EUPATI National Platform Coordinator on eupati@ipposi.ie.
More information about EUPATI: www.patientsacademy.eu/.