Pfizer hosts patients in focus summit, renews commitment to patients’ wellbeing

As a part of its commitment to patients’ well-being, a pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation, Pfizer, on Friday, held the second edition of its annual Patients in Focus summit.

The summit themed, “with patients, for patients”, is an interactive panel discussion with the corporation’s West Africa Country Manager, Olayinka Subair, and patients advocates in oncology, rare diseases and immunization who shared the impacts of their interventions to patients.

According to Subair, the virtual event is aimed at learning from the corporation’s patient advocacy partners to understand and better incorporate patient voices into our work every day.

 

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He said, “Pfizer could not realize its purpose without the pivotal role played by patients, caregivers, and advocates either by engaging in Research and Development efforts, offering consult on clinical trial design, or by partnering with us to develop tools, resources, and easy-to-understand materials for our patients.

“This time and focus will support our work as we continue to strive to be the most patient-centric company, understanding and embedding the patient perspective in all we do. Further, Pfizer will be able to develop more innovative medicines and breakthroughs when we engage with patients and patient advocacy groups to understand the needs of all patients.

“Patients in Focus spurs inspiration, energy, and innovation by showcasing examples of new ways to include patients at every step of Pfizer’s work and is an opportunity for us to collectively envision how we can continue to best serve the evolving needs of patients in the years to come.”

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Pfizer, Sally Susman, said the purpose of Pfizer is to develop breakthroughs that change patients’ lives.

She said, “For our work to be meaningful, every function of Pfizer needs to understand the importance of engaging patients, caregivers, and advocates in our work. By showcasing real patient experiences and where we have made an impact on patients’ lives, Patients in Focus week will continue to build empathy and show colleagues how to focus on patient advocacy year-round and in everything we do.”

In their separate submissions, Patient Advocates emphasized the impact of partnerships and importance of including patients’ perspective in all facets of Pfizer’s work.

Vice President, Global Access Financing, Michelle Akande, said, “Patients in Focus allows us to highlight examples of successful patient engagement and partnerships and learn from them, demonstrating not only how Pfizer has made a difference in patients’ lives but how patient groups provide insights that guide our work.

“By sharing real patient and caregiver experiences, Patients in Focus will build empathy for and allow colleagues to better understand patient journeys and how we can work with patients to address unmet needs. Patients in Focus allows us to showcase bi-directional advocacy relationships and partnerships that build trust and increase awareness of the value and benefit of partnering with patients across all functions.”

A clinical psychologist and Executive Director at Rare Disease Ghana Initiative, Samuel Agyei Wiafe, disclosed that more than 7000 diseases have been identified.

According to him, Rare Disease Ghana Initiative in collaboration with Pfizer has been able to address gaps in the management of these diseases from increased knowledge and awareness to early diagnosis and prevention to the best-to-best practice treatment and care to community engagement to access to best treatments and comprehensive research.

Medical Director Leah Foundation commented, Dr. Oyinloye, “The collaboration with Pfizer enabled us in closing the care gap with cancer treatment as we are able to offer consultation and assessment, counselling, awareness and sensitizations campaign through road walks, Radio Jingles in the North Central axis of Nigeria.”

Programs Lead Vaccine Network for Disease Control, Chika Nwankwo, said “Vaccine Network for Disease Control and Pfizer have a long standing relationship of collaborating to address pertinent issues in sensitizing communities through edutainment. This approach of community awareness drive has since been adopted by many health outreaches and has achieved positive results in transforming community behaviours to vaccines and other health services in Nigeria.”