European Patients Forum, logo.

READI

Project information 

Full title: Research in Europe and Diversity Inclusion (READI)

Duration: 72 months (1 January 2025 – 31 December 2030)

Status: Ongoing 

Funding programme: The project is a HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Action co-funded by the European Union, under HORIZON-JU-IHI-2023-04-two-stage.

What will the project do? 

Clinical studies often fail to represent underserved and underrepresented communities, leading to health disparities and knowledge gaps. The READI consortium aims to create a patient-centred, inclusive clinical study ecosystem by connecting stakeholders, providing training, and breaking down barriers to participation.

Central to READI’s approach is a sustainable, patient-focused digital platform to improve access to clinical study information, tools, and resources while fostering collaboration. READI will test its tools in four clinical studies, addressing challenges such as mistrust and lack of information.

What are the expected outcomes? 

  • Helping underserved and underrepresented communities overcome clinical studies’ participation barriers (e.g., lack of information/awareness, mistrust, poor communication, geographic limitations, prejudice)
  • Improving understanding of diseases and conditions, preventative care, and treatment effectiveness across various demographic groups, leading to better health outcomes for society as a whole. 
  • Creating a well-connected ecosystem involving patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, and community organisations to collaboratively improve clinical research practices.
  • Creating a sustainable, innovative, and open-access platform that provides tools, training, and information to support clinical study engagement and patient-community connections. 

What is EPFs’ role? 

  • EPF will activate the patient community and will hold a central role in communicating and disseminating project results to a wider audience to promote awareness among citizens and patients' communities, and to maximise the impact of the overall activities of the READI project.

The consortium 

The consortium is led by the Servicio Madrileño de Salud and composed of 73 partners from 18 countries: