menu toggle

The power of patient engagement: A trailblazing journey to elevate access

By Lung-I Cheng

The story of Emily Whitehead continues to inspire millions. Diagnosed with leukemia at five and given weeks to live, Emily made history by being the first child to undergo CAR-T treatment in 2012. Today, twelve years later, she remains cancer free. 
We were delighted to welcome George Eastwood, the Board Chair and Interim Executive Director of the Emily Whitehead Foundation, during Day 2 of The ThinkLive Cell and Gene Therapy Summit 2024, to discuss the critical role of early diagnosis, patient engagement, and support in advancing therapies. 

From incorporating patient insights to enhance understanding and refining trials through stakeholder collaboration for optimal patient outcomes and fair access, there is still much work needed to improve accessibility.  
thinklive

To tackle these challenges effectively, George emphasized the importance of meeting patients where they are and better understanding the journeys and struggles faced by caregivers. 

In this landscape, non-therapeutics companies such as technology and services providers, and contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) play a crucial role in bridging connections between pharmaceutical entities and patients earlier in their healthcare journeys. 

“Companies like Cencora can help to build some of those bridges between pharma and advocacy groups to establish multi-stakeholder teams that can get patients the information they need, when they need it,” noted George Eastwood.

 
Fill out the form below to watch the full recording for deeper insights into enhancing patient support programs, improving data integration, and prioritizing patient-centric approaches in drug development. 

 

Pardot Form

About The Author

Lung-I Cheng
Vice President, Cell and Gene Therapy
Biopharma Services
View Bio