EUPATI's New Training Course for Patients Gets Underway

The first patient expert training course of the European Patients’ Academy (EUPATI) has begun. The 15-month program is designed to meet the needs of patients and patient representatives and to impart expert knowledge about the whole spectrum of the medicine research and development process.

“The course is specifically designed to meet the needs of participants who are motivated with the skill set to acquire and apply this expert-level knowledge,” said Jan Geissler, EUPATI Director, who noted that earlier this month a webinar marked the official opening of the course and the launch of the online learning program for 53 participants.

The course comprises a mixture of online and face-to-face training and covers discovery, development, evaluation, marketing authorization and post-marketing evaluation, and other important subjects. Participants will take six e-learning modules covering a broad range of topics. They will also attend two face-to-face training events for interactive teaching and have the opportunity to meet directly with other patient experts and with specialists working in the field of medicine development.

The organizers plan to encourage participants to apply knowledge and skills acquired through three main areas:

• Patient Representation. EUPATI patient experts will be able to actively engage in representing a patient perspective in the medicine development process by interacting with scientific committees, health technology assessment agencies, industry, regulatory bodies, academia and other relevant stakeholders.
• Communication. Patient experts will be able to contribute to raising awareness on patient involvement in medicines’ research and development amongst the patient community and the general public.
• Education/Training. Patient experts will be able to fill the role of facilitators/trainers by engaging in the dissemination of the education and information programs for the patient community and the general public in their countries through their patient communities and networks.

The second wave of the program will start in September 2015. By 2016, there will be over 100 expert patients who will be able to share their expertise and help to reach the patient community, raise public awareness and generate dialogue around future patient involvement in research and development.

EUPATI received more than 300 applications for the course. An independent evaluation panel selected 53 participants based upon careful examination of all eligible applications against the pre-defined selection criteria. The application period for next year's EUPATI course will start in spring 2015.

Read the full release here.