Margaret Anderson and K. Kimberly McCleary from FasterCures discussed the changing nature of patient input and how it is steering the future of medicine, according to Medscape.
Ms. Anderson and Ms. McCleary published their perspective piece in Science Translational Medicine's April 27 issue.
Here are six insights:
1. Previously, the FDA would ask patients to be part of an advisory committee that would either support or oppose FDA approval. The panel would give its recommendation years after drug manufacturers developed the drug.
2. The 2012 FDA Safety and Innovation Act required the FDA to start patient-focused drug development and facilitate patient involvement much earlier in the development process.
3. Currently, the FDA invites patients to participate in a meeting where the agency asks them about living with the condition and whether available products fulfill their condition's needs. This way, the FDA can use these insights to change decision making early on in the development process.
4. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, an independent nonprofit, nongovernmental organization, mandates its investigators to partner with patients during each step of their research.
5. While many leading organizations such as CMS support this high level of patient engagement, some regulators, pharmaceutical companies and physicians push against it. Ms. McCleary said this reluctance is often an authority issue.
6. However, healthcare is changing in that patients may see various providers and often have 15-minute consultations. The nature of the physician-patient relationship is changing, and thus so has the point of patient engagement.
More articles in quality & infection control:
Integrative virtual clinics enhance care quality — 6 findings
Bundle lowers SSI infection risk — 6 findings
Migraine drugs may benefit more patients — 4 observations
