The spokesperson of the Platform of Patient Organizations (POP), Tomás Fajardo, and the Director of Policy & Public Affairs & Patients at Pfizer, Fernando Méndez, have emphasized the importance of patient associations when it comes to disseminating the necessary prevention through vaccination.
These entities, Fajardo explained, "we can help identify barriers, bring that information closer, and accompany people in making decisions about their health", stressing that "so that vaccination recommendations can be translated into a real protection tool" it is essential "to make it easy for the patient". In his view, "it is fundamental that people know which prevention measures are appropriate for them, where they can access them, and that they have clear and understandable information".
Fajardo has expressed himself in these terms during the Summit 'Building trust in prevention: protecting the future of vulnerable patients', held this Thursday in Madrid and organized by the biomedical company, where the focus has been placed on the role of vaccination in protecting the most vulnerable groups.
At this forum, Méndez has highlighted that "making progress in prevention requires the collaboration of all the agents involved". He has also pointed out that "at Pfizer, we believe that patient organizations are essential for conveying the real needs of people and contributing to prevention that is more accessible, equitable, and patient-centered", which is why the company is committed to "continuing to drive spaces for dialogue and joint work with these organizations, healthcare professionals, and public Administrations".
Associations, allies in prevention and immunization
During the meeting, it was reiterated that organizations that represent people with diseases have a cross-cutting function in progress toward prevention and immunization. Among other tasks, they help to inform and raise awareness, convey the needs and obstacles of patients, reinforce the recommendations of healthcare professionals, and accompany both patients and caregivers so that they can make informed decisions.
The speakers have defended the need to evolve toward a comprehensive, equitable and accessible prevention model, centered on people and aimed at responding to the specific needs of older adults, chronic patients and other groups especially vulnerable to preventable infections. To do so, they have insisted on integrating immunization into routine care, simplifying access and strengthening trust through rigorous, understandable, close and coherent information.
Along these lines, the head of the Vaccines Group of the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG), Dr. Isabel Jimeno, has recalled that "in older people and in those who live together with chronic diseases, the prevention of infections must be part of routine care." She added that anticipating and reviewing each patient’s vaccination needs can help "to reduce complications," as well as to "contribute to preserving their quality of life and autonomy" and the sustainability of the care system.
The event has also highlighted the role of patient associations as a link between citizens and the health system. The program has included three parallel 'workshops' for co-creation and a shared discussion of the lessons learned and next steps, with the aim of strengthening the incorporation of prevention into everyday care and addressing the barriers patients face. All of this, supported by reliable information and by better coordination among the different agents involved.