EUPATI Europa
The European Patients’ Academy on Therapeutic Innovation (EUPATI) was funded within Call 3 of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) from February 2012 to January 2017. It aimed to trigger a major rethink in the way patients and the public understand the medicines development process and their own involvement within. Armed with a deeper understanding, patient experts and advocates are empowered to work effectively with the relevant authorities, healthcare professionals and industry to influence the medicines development process for the benefit of patients.
The main objectives of the consortium, led by the European Patients’ Forum (EPF), which includes patients’ organisations, academic groups, NGOs and pharmaceutical companies were to:
- Develop and disseminate accessible, well-structured, comprehensive, scientifically reliable and user-friendly educational material for patients on the processes of medicines research and development.
- Increase the capacity of “patient experts” and well-informed patients in patient organisations to be effective advocates and advisors in medicines research and development.
- Empower patients to provide appropriate patient-relevant advice and insight to industry, academia, establishments and ethics committees.