Patient associations (APAA, COPAC) and the Clinical Trials Coordinating Companies Association (ACCSCR) join the Health Innovation Hub.

The Coalition of Organizations of Patients with Chronic Diseases in Romania (COPAC) and the Association of Patients with Autoimmune Diseases (APAA) have become the first patient associations to join the Health Innovation Hub.
The partnership with the Association of Clinical Trial Leading Companies in Romania (ACCSCR) brings expertise and know-how in the field of clinical trials—one of the Hub’s strategic directions.
Together with the Hub’s founding members—the Ministry of Health, the G6-UMF University Alliance, and the Local American Working Group—these partners will be actively involved in the project to increase Romania’s capacity to conduct clinical trials, in public information and education activities in this field, and especially in the development of the National Strategic Plan for Clinical Trials in Romania, an initiative implemented under the coordination of the National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Romania (ANMDMR).

The Health Innovation Hub announces the signing of its first partnership agreements within this national strategic platform. The Coalition of Organizations of Patients with Chronic Diseases in Romania (COPAC) and the Association of Patients with Autoimmune Diseases (APAA) are becoming the first patient associations to join the Hub, bringing valuable contributions to its strategic objectives through the perspective and voice of patients.
In addition, the Association of Clinical Trial Leading Companies in Romania (ACCSCR) is joining the Health Innovation Hub as a partner, enhancing the Hub’s expertise in the field of clinical trials—one of the strategic directions of this platform.

The Health Innovation Hub was launched last year by the Ministry of Health, the G6-UMF University Alliance, and the Local American Working Group Association. It aims to become a central element in a modern healthcare system, aligned with the priorities set out in the National Health Strategy 2023–2030.
The strategic directions adopted by the Health Innovation Hub are: increasing the national capacity to conduct clinical trials, education and health promotion in priority chronic diseases, and a digital health component.

Prof. Viorel Jinga, MD, PhD, Rector of the “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest and Acting President of the G6-UMF University Alliance, as host of the event, stated: “It is a pleasure and an honor for the ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy to host this event. Through their role in training healthcare professionals, universities represent an essential pillar of the healthcare system, and it is very important for us to engage in initiatives that promote innovation. The Health Innovation Hub provides an important collaboration platform between the academic environment, represented by the G6-UMF University Alliance, industry partners, and relevant health authorities. The signing of these collaboration agreements marks the inclusion in the Hub of key partners, through the involvement of representative patient associations and the Association of Clinical Research Organizations. The partnership will be reflected in the project aimed at increasing Romania’s capacity to attract and conduct clinical trials, as well as in other projects and initiatives of the Hub.”

Farm. Dr. Razvan Prisada, Președinte ANMDMR și coordonator al pilonului strategic din Hub privind studiile clinice a declarat cu ocazia acestui eveniment „ANMDMR salută acest parteneriat, considerând că expertiza specialiștilor din industria studiilor clinice și experiența asociațiilor de pacienți de a identifica soluții reale la nevoile acestora vor aduce un plus de valoare proiectului și vor facilita atingerea unuia dintre obiective, accesul la informație de calitate cu privire la studiile clinice și siguranța pacientului.
Vom colabora în cadrul Hub-ului de Inovație așa cum am făcut-o și în trecut, cu fiecare ocazie în care scopul comun ne-a adus împreună, punând accent pe comunicare și transparență în încercarea de a găsi soluții viabile în interesul pacienților români.”

Patient associations bring the patients’ voice into the Health Innovation Hub and contribute their extensive expertise to the impactful projects developed through the Health Innovation Hub.

“It is a great honor for me, as a representative of a patient association, to be a partner today in this Innovation Hub, which brings together Romania’s Medical and Pharmacy Universities, as well as authorities and industry. We share the same path and the same need, and partnership is the engine that can take us in the right direction!”

Radu Gănescu, President of the Coalition of Organizations of Patients with Chronic Diseases in Romania (COPAC)

“I was pleased to sign the partnership agreement with the Health Innovation Hub. Together with the Universities of Medicine and Pharmacy, medical authorities, pharmaceutical companies, and the CRO association, we can bring medical innovation to Romania and improve the lives of chronic patients. The future belongs to research and innovation. People’s health depends on the discovery of new therapies, and the Health Innovation Hub lays the foundation for Romanian medical research.”
Rozalina Lăpădatu, President of the Association of Patients with Autoimmune Diseases (APAA)

The Local American Working Group (LAWG) is a promoter of health innovation in Romania and supports the development of public policies in favor of an efficient, patient-centered healthcare system with increased access to innovation. LAWG brings together the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology research companies, dedicated to developing innovative medicines.

Frank Loeffler, President of the Local American Working Group and General Manager of Roche Romania, added: “The main beneficiaries of innovation in healthcare are the patients, and we have a meaningful impact only when innovations reach them. Partnerships with patient associations will ensure that the projects of the Health Innovation Hub benefit from the patients’ perspective. At the same time, the partnership with the clinical research organizations association is essential for increasing the capacity to conduct more clinical trials in Romania in the coming years, which is one of the main objectives of the Health Innovation Hub. Moreover, patients benefit greatly from a well-developed clinical trial ecosystem, as it helps them gain faster access to the latest medical innovations.”

Radu Rășinar, Vice President of the Local American Working Group and General Manager of AstraZeneca Romania, stated: “We are pleased to welcome three new strategic partners to the Health Innovation Hub. Together, in this first project, we are building a modern system for conducting clinical trials in Romania, bringing significant benefits to patients, the academic community, the healthcare system, industry, and the country’s economy. And we will not stop here — with the second project, the Hub is laying the foundation for an effective national approach to education and prevention in priority chronic diseases, which affect a significant segment of patients and their families.”

The companies leading clinical trials in Romania are another important partner in the work of the Health Innovation Hub.
George Tănăseanu, President of the Association of Clinical Trial Leading Companies in Romania, stated:
“As the number of ongoing clinical trials continues to grow, experimental therapies are becoming more complex, and the field is extremely competitive. At the national level, an integrative approach to the numerous components specific to research is mandatory. The cooperation proposed through the Innovation Hub is one such example: the academic environment (represented by the G6 UMF University Alliance) and pharmaceutical companies, CROs, under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and with the direct support of Patient Associations, are taking on the leading role in cultivating Romania’s clinical research ecosystem.
We are aware of the current obstacles, but we must also anticipate future challenges. We have well-positioned specialists, but we must cultivate generations of experts capable of managing this dynamic environment. The opportunities are unprecedented! To succeed, we must harmonize all the resources our society has at its disposal.“

The first actions within this partnership focus on developing the National Strategic Plan for Clinical Trials, conducting activities to inform and educate patients and the public in this field, as well as creating a digital platform with information for patients and doctors about the clinical trials available in Romania.