Patients Included Charter

A Roadmap for Patient-Centric Conferences

Pharmaguy interviews Casey Quinlan, Co-Founder at Patients for Clinical Research, journalist, author, ePatient and patient advocate, about Patients Included: A Charter for Conferences and how the pharmaceutical industry can help ensure more patients are able to attend and participate in patient-relevant healthcare conferences.

"Patient centricity" is all the rage these days among pharmaceutical industry conference attendees and speakers. It is even becoming more common for actual patients to be part of the faculty/speakers and/or attendees of these conferences. 

Questions/Topics of Discussion

The discussion focused on the following Charter clauses copied from the patientsincluded.org site:

1. Patients or caregivers with experience relevant to the conference's central theme actively participate in the design and planning of the event, including the selection of themes, topics and speakers.
2. Patients or caregivers with experience of the issues addressed by the event participate in its delivery, and appear in its physical audience.
3. Travel and accommodation expenses for patients or carers participating in the advertised programme are paid in full, in advance.
4. Scholarships are provided by the conference organisers to allow patients or carers affected by the relevant issues to attend as delegates.
5. The disability requirements of participants are accommodated. All applicable sessions, breakouts, ancillary meetings, and other programme elements are open to patient delegates.
6. Access for virtual participants is facilitated, with free streaming video provided online wherever possible.