Global Patient Partnership Summit signals bold momentum for co-designed healthcare solutions

Kuala Lumpur, June 2025 — Last month, the Asia-Pacific chapter of the Global Patient Partnership Summit (GPPS25) brought together 50 patient advocacy leaders from across the region. Hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim and co-designed with a global patient steering committee, the summit focused on embedding the patient voice at every stage of health innovation. The message was clear: healthcare is entering a new era—one powered by lived experience, inclusion, and co-leadership.

 “Patients aren’t just participants—they’re architects of innovation. Our health systems must reflect that,” read one summit statement.

Australia and NZ Leadership in Action  

Delegates from Australia and New Zealand played an instrumental role in shaping the dialogue, championing the principles of early detection, dignity-centered care, and inclusive system design. Among the participants were organisations representing chronic illness, mental health, heart disease, cancer, and rare conditions—including Scleroderma Australia, Patient Voice Initiative, and Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa.

Award-Winning Partnership: Scleroderma@ResearchFriends  

A major highlight was the presentation of the Co-Creation & Partnership Award to Scleroderma@ResearchFriends—an initiative led by TrialScreen in collaboration with Scleroderma Australia, accepted by Scleroderma Australia’s Deputy Chair Tara Haneveld.

“Together, we’ve shown how rare disease communities can lead—from the ground up—and set new global standards for partnership,” Tara Haneveld shared during the ceremony.

Built to accelerate equitable access to clinical trials, the initiative was recognized for:

– Building a research-ready scleroderma community of 200+ members  

– Launching webinars and education campaigns nationwide  

– Developing a purpose-built platform for trial recruitment  

– Generating 2M+ campaign impressions with strong community conversion  

The model is already making Australia a destination for global scleroderma research—offering sponsors an engaged and scalable ecosystem with real-world impact.

To learn more, visit [Scleroderma@ResearchFriends](https://www.sclerodermaaustralia.com.au/scleroderma-research-friends-from-trial-screen/).

Patient-Powered Progress in Practice  

GPPS25 sits within Boehringer Ingelheim’s Patient-Powered Progress initiative, which now sees over 80% of the company’s clinical trials co-designed by patients. Case studies shared at the summit—including rare disease collaborations and mental health reform—illustrated the power of co-leadership across sectors.

A Collective Call to Action  

As the summit concluded, advocacy leaders issued a call to stakeholders:

– Policymakers: Embed patient co-design into national funding and service frameworks  

– Funders and industry partners: Invest in patient-led trials and scalable engagement models  

– Advocacy networks: Collaborate across conditions to push for inclusive reform

An upcoming global white paper, drawing from GPPS25 contributions, will guide government agencies on how to meaningfully involve patients in shaping health systems.

Looking Ahead  

The energy and outcomes from GPPS25 underscore what’s possible when patients and partners lead side by side. With patient-powered progress gaining global traction, advocates across Australia and New Zealand continue to drive change—with rare diseases like scleroderma now front and centre.