Manon Genin
Director of Patient Advocacy, Pfizer Canada
Eva Villalba
Executive Director, Quebec Cancer Coalition
Carmen Wyton
Chair, President, & Founder, WHC
Dave Gallson
National Executive Director, MDSC
Pfizer is leading the way in patient-centred care, prioritizing integrity and transparency in every collaboration.
It’s a simple yet revolutionary concept in health care: listen to patients and put them first. This patient-centred approach is critical to driving innovation, improving patient outcomes, and building trust between patients and the medical community — and Pfizer Canada is leading the way.
“Pfizer is committed to putting the patient at the centre of everything we do,” says Manon Genin, Director of Patient Advocacy at Pfizer Canada. “We believe that patient centricity exists at Pfizer when we listen and learn from the patient perspective, acting as partners with accountability and integrity, to deliver outcomes that matter most to patients and those involved in their care.”
Embracing patient-centricity
Pfizer’s commitment to patient centricity can be seen through its unwavering dedication to meaningful collaborations with patient advocacy groups, its innovative patient engagement programs, and its transparent approach to addressing patient needs at every stage of care.
In the PatientView survey, an annual global study that gives patient advocacy groups an opportunity to comment on and assess the pharmaceutical industry’s performance, Pfizer Canada was recently ranked number one by 100 Canadian patient advocacy groups, highlighting the company’s dedication to fostering strong relationships with patient groups.
By working together, we can develop more innovative medicines and solutions that address patients’ unmet needs.
Pfizer’s Patients in Focus Week, an annual week-long activation taking place from September 30th to October 4th this year, is another example of Pfizer’s commitment to patient-centricity. “This annual event celebrates and showcases our work with patients and patient organizations around the world,” says Genin. “It’s an opportunity to learn from each other, share best practices, and recognize the achievements and contributions of our colleagues and partners in patient advocacy.”
Pfizer’s commitment to ongoing collaboration with patient advocacy groups — along with its global resource platform, the Patient Advocacy Leadership Collective — can be credited to the organization’s recognition of the pivotal role that patients, caregivers, and advocates play in its mission. “These collaborations help Pfizer gain a better understanding of patient needs, challenges, and priorities,” says Genin. “By working together, we can develop more innovative medicines and solutions that address patients’ unmet needs.”
Here are some of the patient advocacy groups that Pfizer is currently collaborating with to enhance patient engagement and empowerment, improve patient outcomes and quality of life, and drive patient-centric innovation and research.
The Quebec Cancer Coalition: Pioneering Patient-Centric Cancer Care
We’ve done many projects with Pfizer in line with our mission, including improving access to clinical trials in oncology, supporting patients’ and caregivers’ sexual health and well-being, preventing avoidable cancers and environmental risk factors, improving access to precision medicine, and more,” says Eva Villalba, Executive Director of the Quebec Cancer Coalition. “The project that we’re most proud of is our Value-Based Health Care (VBHC) Demonstration Project in Colorectal Cancer (CRC), in collaboration with several industry partners, the first of which was Pfizer Canada.”
The Quebec Cancer Coalition’s mission is to give people affected by cancer a voice and to improve public policies for and with them, and the VBHC Demonstration Project in CRC is an example of that. “The project is already having a profound impact on cancer care in Quebec,” says Villalba.
The Women’s Health Coalition: Empowering Women’s Voices in Health Care
Members of the Women’s Health Coalition (WHC) enjoyed the opportunity to provide insights into beliefs, fears, and questions about vaccines during pregnancy through a Pfizer collaboration. “Women who are pregnant have a lot to think and worry about, but they still need to be included,” says Carmen Wyton, Chair, President, and Founder of the WHC. “And every woman’s experience is unique. The best opportunity for improved health outcomes lies in women taking authority of their health journey. Pfizer’s consideration of the patient experience and the resources made available are empowering.”
With Pfizer’s support, the WHC was also able to engage patients through its webinars and as experts for its podcast series.
Mood Disorders Society of Canada: Harnessing AI to Transform Mental Health Support
Interested in implementing AI to support people with mental illness to find appropriate and safe resources for their needs, Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) reached out to Pfizer. It soon received seed funding support for a project named MIRA. “Without the generous support of Pfizer this innovative project would not be possible,” says Dave Gallson, National Executive Director of the MDSC. “This project has had a positive impact on the mental health community and supports other patient organizations’ needs as well.”
Pfizer is also a long-time sponsor of the MDSC’s Defeat Depression mental health national campaign. “The support we receive from Pfizer helps to support our efforts to improve mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and support community mental health organizations,” says Gallson.
To learn more about Pfizer’s work with patient groups,
please visit Our work with patient groups | Pfizer Canada
This article was made possible by the support of Pfizer Canada.
