Original upload date: Wed, 14 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT
Archive date: Wed, 01 Dec 2021 20:47:09 GMT
On April 15 in Cambridge, MA, a panel of biotech leaders discussed how patient advocacy has played a pivotal role in shaping the biotech industry and how it informs and adds value to new therapies in
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development today. Moderated by Genzyme CEO David Meeker, panelists John Maraganore, Bill Haseltine, and Joan Finnegan Brooks who have each played roles in shaping the history of advocacy shared examples from the AIDS, cystic fibrosis and rare disease communities.
A few decades ago, patients depended solely on medical providers for disease information and they were often considered a nuisance by drug developers. Today, health and research information is broadly available and patient groups oftentimes collaborate with biotech companies and raise funds for research. Yet, patient protests still take place in response to high costs and limited access to certain medicines. This discussion explored what the biotech industry can learn from the history and evolution of patient advocacy.
