This resource is primarily aimed at physicians and healthcare workers, because they are the people who are most likely to be in regular contact with large groups of patients, but it can be used by anyone who is interested in establishing patient groups for viral hepatitis.

Patient Advocacy Creation Tool (PACT)

‘If things are to change in viral hepatitis, and change for the better, we need a very strong voice from patients’ ~ Professor Graham Foster

Patient advocacy organizations have global impact; doctors, healthcare professionals, and patients, working together as combined voices results in powerful advocacy that is hard for politicians to ignore. This resource is primarily aimed at physicians and healthcare workers, because they are the people who are most likely to be in regular contact with large groups of patients, but it can be used by anyone who is interested in establishing patient groups for viral hepatitis.

PACT is an online learning tool comprising of 6 modules, enhanced by videos and supporting resources:

• The reasons for developing patient advocacy groups
• The role of patient groups
• The benefits of patient groups
• How to establish patient groups
• Helping patient groups to grow
• Available support

We have conducted numerous interviews with physicians, academics and patient group representatives from around the world, to give real world examples of successful collaboration between healthcare workers and patients, as well as ways to manage some of the difficulties you may encounter.

‘The politicians, they don’t listen to us. We’re scientists and we’re experts. Patients are the people who vote and this is where patients have a real influence on political decisions because when they say something that is already said, there is more weight’ Dr Jean-Michel Pawlotsky MD, PhD

Introduction: Using this resource from World Hepatitis Alliance on Vimeo.