The USA Patient Network consists of patients, caregivers, and their friends and family members that are united by a common goal: to make sure that medical treatments are as safe, effective, and as affordable as possible. The USA Patient Network is a network of trained patient advocates ready and willing to provide patient perspectives and feedback on research design and strategy issues to federal
agencies and researchers whose work determines which outcome measures provide adequate evidence of the safety and effectiveness of treatments. We focus on on the clinical research designs and criteria needed to prove the safety and effectiveness of medical products as a way of introducing patients to the scientific and statistical concepts that are especially important to patients. Because of the relatively small number of patient partners independently participating in FDA public forums, meetings, and other stakeholder events, the opportunities to do so will be a major focus of the proposed project. however, the Network and training will be very useful to patient partners who want to share their perspectives with other federal public health agencies as well as with university researchers.
