The European Patients' Academy Proudly Announces the Start of the First Patient Expert Training Course

The European Patients’ Academy (EUPATI) is proud to announce the start of the first Patient Expert Training Course. This is one of EUPATI’s key educational programmes specifically designed to meet the needs of patients and patient representatives and to impart expert-level knowledge about the whole spectrum of the medicine research and development process. Last week, a webinar marked the official opening of the Course and the launch of the online learning programs for 53 participants.

“We are excited to start the first Patient Expert Training Course. This unique EUPATI educational program offers patients and patient representatives training across 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.

The EUPATI Patient Expert Training Course is a mixture of online and face-to-face training and covers all aspects of the medicine research and development process including discovery, development, evaluation, marketing authorization and post-marketing evaluation. Over the 15-month training period, participants will take six e-learning modules covering a broad range of topics. Participants will also attend two face-to-face training events for interactive teaching as well as the opportunity to meet directly with other patient experts and with specialists working in the field of medicine development.

The Patient Expert Training Course aims 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: EUPATI 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: EUPATI 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 Expert Patient Training Course 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 the medicine research and development.

About Participant Selection

The selection of participants for the first Patient Expert Training Course (2014-2015) was done via a transparent process: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 Patient Expert Training Course (2015-2016) will start in spring 2015. Details will be available on the EUPATI website.