The most appropriate medicine-based care is achieved when the knowledge and experience of patients and pharmaceutical companies reinforce each other. However, patients are not yet consistently involved in the development and use of medicines. To address this, patient organizations and pharmaceutical companies have launched PSM: Patient-Centered Collaboration on Medicines (Patiëntgerichte Samenwerking Medicijnen). This joint initiative aims to structurally embed patient participation throughout the entire lifecycle of medicines. Bristol Myers Squibb has also joined this initiative.
Patient organizations and pharmaceutical companies launch a platform for equitable collaboration
“This collaboration not only makes structural patient participation possible, but also a natural part of how we work,” says Karin Heeren, Strategic Partnership Manager at BMS. “We are fully committed to this!”
Why this initiative?
Medical technology is evolving rapidly and offering ever more possibilities. To ensure these innovations truly align with what people find important, the patient perspective must be structurally embedded. Patient organizations and pharmaceutical companies are therefore working to establish clear frameworks and practical collaboration in all phases of the medicine chain.
Within this new Dutch collaboration platform, parties work together openly and as equals. The aim is to clarify what patients need and how that perspective helps to improve treatments, for example, in terms of treatment outcomes, methods of administration, and side effects. By considering this early and consistently, a stronger foundation for better medicines and better care is created.
What will we do?
Between mid-2025 and mid-2026, we will lay the foundations for sustainable collaboration. We will map the current state of patient participation and where it can be strengthened, engage in dialogue with stakeholders, monitor the impact, and formulate improvement opportunities, for example, for the new EU HTA process.
At the end of this phase:
- we will have clarified the importance, needs, and impact of structurally embedding patient participation in the life cycle of medicines;
- there will be a user-friendly guide to help shape collaboration between patient organizations and pharmaceutical companies within all applicable regulations;
- we will have started developing recommendations to improve processes in which patient participation is essential, such as the new EU HTA process.
Who is participating?
The initiative was started by 1op5 Stichting voor Zeldzame Kankerpatiënten, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Diabetesvereniging Nederland, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Nationale Vereniging ReumaZorg Nederland (RZN), Niervereniging Nederland (NVN), Stichting Pulmonale Hypertensie and the Association for Innovative Medicines. Lygature is supporting the platform as an independent party. Other organizations are welcome to join.
More information?
Would you like to know more about this initiative? Questions or interested in participating? Please contact Vera Nies of Lygature at vera.nies@lygature.org or Karin Heeren of Bristol Myers Squibb at info.nl@bms.com
NO-NL-2600002