Our work with patient groups aims to improve patients’ health and quality of life, as well as to ensure the quality use of Roche medicines. Additionally, as patient organisations represent the views of patients and their families on issues surrounding healthcare, they help shape the current and future healthcare environment by making their collective voices heard.

Roche collaborates with and provides support to a range of local patient groups in Australia and while doing so applies the principles of the Medicines Australia Working Together Guide and our global Working with Patient Groups – Good Practice Guidelines. Roche's current collaborations include Diabetes Australia, Rare Cancers Australia, MS Australia, Haemophilia Australia and McGrath Foundation. The grants provided by Roche Pharmaceuticals to patient groups in Australia can be found here, as well as on the Medicines Australia website. In addition, a full list of organisations supported by all Roche divisions in Australia can be found on our global website.

In 2017, Roche Pharmaceuticals hosted Health Advocacy in Action, a conference attended by 24 senior leaders from 18 major health consumer (patient advocacy) organisations. These leaders represented an aggregate of 9 million patients through their respective organisations – more than a third of Australia’s population.

The conference theme – Achieving a patient-centred healthcare system – reflected an aspiration to elevate the patient voice and ensure patients are the primary focus of the national healthcare system.

Participants at the conference agreed on four recommendations to take forward to health policymakers. These included a focus on evidence-based healthcare investment; broader value recognition; innovation; and data linkage.

To access the conference summary report from Health Advocacy in Action, please click the link below.

Health Advocacy in Action Summary Report