At the BIO Patient and Health Advocacy Summit last year, I learned a great deal about the FDA’s unprecedented approach to “Patient-Focused Drug Development,” and realized just how far advocacy relations has come during my 20 years of practice in health care PR. The way patients are being perceived by the pharmaceutical, diagnostics, insurance, hospital and biotech industries is dramatically changing. As health communications professionals, we need to understand exactly how these unprecedented shifts impact the way we counsel our clients, and construct and implement integrated communications programs.
To gain clarity on the myriad of issues involved from a legislative and communications standpoint, health care communications practitioners need to hear from industry leaders on the front lines of these changes.
Here are a few critical areas that health care communications executives will need to focus on in the advocacy arena over the next ten years:
- The impact of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) on their work.
- “Venture Philanthropy,” or the narrowing gap between nonprofit and for-profit organizations.
- Targeted patient and professional digital content campaigns and KPIs.
Soon, the PRSA Health Academy Conference will convene U.S. and global thought leaders on one stage to discuss the recent dramatic changes in the world of advocacy relations.
I am honored to co-chair a one-day pre-conference that will delve into the history of patient advocacy, the impact of FDASIA on the health care industry, and how a range of patient advocacy groups are working to get their voices heard on the Hill and across America. The two afternoon segments cover related and equally compelling topics related to the shift in patient-centric power.
“Why Patients Matter Now, More Than Ever,” moderated by Eli Lilly & Company’s director of global advocacy and professional relations, Michele Oshman, provides attendees a firsthand look at the recent trends and milestones that have put patients at the center of the evolving health care system.
“Winning Strategies for Patient Partnerships,” moderated by Novartis Oncology North America’s vice president of public affairs and communications, Tracy Furey, will showcase successful case studies of patient partnerships from the field, featuring strategies and tactics that provide insights into how these groups get their messages out to target audiences.
Panelists include:
Theresa Mullin, Ph.D., director, Office of Strategic Programs, FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research; Marc Boutin, executive vice president and chief operating officer, National Health Council; Mary Dunkle, vice president of communications, National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD); Linda House, RN, executive vice president for external affairs, Cancer Support Community; Scott Riccio, vice president, advocacy and external affairs, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; and Louise Vetter, chief executive officer, Huntington’s Disease Society of America.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Michael Roth, leader, healthcare, at Bliss Integrated Communications, will be co-chairing the two-part pre-conference session, “Patient-Centric Communications: How the FDA and Advocacy Groups Are Rewriting the Health Care PR Playbook,” at the PRSA Health Academy Conference in Washington, D.C., on May 7. Register today and join us at the conference.