Patient-Focused Drug Development
In our bid to discover, develop and deliver medicines that meet patients’ needs and contribute to longer, healthier lives, it is vital that we listen to, learn from and act on what matters most to patients and caregivers.
PATIENT-DIRECTED IN PRACTICE
Taking a patient-directed approach to reduce the burden on participants enrolled in our multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical trials.
| LISTEN | ACT | IMPACT |
|---|---|---|
| During a phase II clinical trial, MS patients were required to travel to the hospital on a regular basis for routine tests. However, patient advisory boards and mid-trial surveys revealed that these regular hospital visits, and the associated travel demands, were a significant burden on MS patients. | In response to this feedback, we offered a homecare service to patients participating in two subsequent phase III clinical trials. By arranging for nurses to come to patients' homes, we were able to reduce their need to travel to the hospital. | During a follow-up survey to find out if the new approach was working, 92% of the study participants said they were satisfied with their experience of the homecare visits.1 |
1 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt Germany Data on File. Patient Survey Results, 2021. Available on request.
EMBRACING CARERS®
We launched the award-winning Embracing Carers® initiative in 2017 to raise awareness and call for greater support for family carers.
About the Program
In 2023, we collaborated with the Global Initiative on Ageing (GIA), a foundation under the auspices of the UN, to translate curated selection of GIA’s modules into English for Embracing Carers®. The modules provide professional instruction on caretaking including topics such as nutrition, administration of medicines, communication and motivation. In 2022, we launched an interactive training to enhance support for carer colleagues among management and peers, an initiative that won first prize at the 2022 Company & Employee Caregiver Awards in France.
We were also honored to receive the 'At The Heart of Pharma' award for our Embracing Carers® initiative at the CPHI Pharma Awards in October 2023.
Learn more about the Embracing Carers® initiative.
Patient 360º
Previously a standalone annual summit, the Patient 360° initiative has been reviewed and evolved into an ongoing program of activity.
How does it work?
The initiative brings EMD Serono teams together with patient and caregiver communities to exchange insights throughout the year, helping shape how we design and deliver healthcare.
Since 2017, patients, patient advocates and caregivers have been invited to provide input into EMD Serono’s strategy on a range of important topics, such as:
- Diversity and inclusion in clinical trials
- Clinical trial awareness
- Communicating science to patients and family carers
- Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic
- Patient engagement in the digital age
- How to better address patient needs through better medical education
- Drug safety
- And the information needs of patient organizations
The Patient 360° initiative has helped us build a foundation of trust and regular dialogue with patients and family carers.
Meeting the Needs of the Patient of the Future
How has it changed?
In October 2023, we hosted the ‘Patient 360 Summit 2023: Patient of the Future’ at our Darmstadt, Germany headquarters, welcoming fourteen patient and carer advocates from the UK, Europe, US, and China, representing the oncology, multiple sclerosis, and fertility communities. Discussions focused on defining the needs and expectations of patients in the future, including:
- Patients taking greater responsibility for their care
- Increased expectation for holistic care and support
- Decentralization of care and clinical trials
- Digital innovation, including AI, which may dramatically transform the healthcare landscape
We believe this initiative is crucial to ensure our organization actively listens to patients and carers as the healthcare landscape evolves, enabling us to better understand their changing needs. We continuously analyze Patient 360 Summit insights and continue to work with the patient and carer community to meet the needs of patients.
Patient 360 Summit 2023: Patient of the Future
Darmstadt, Germany
October 2023
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE OR INTERESTED IN COLLABORATING?
If you would like to find out more about our patient-directed initiatives or if you are interested in collaboration opportunities, please contact us.