The Servier Saclay Research & Development Patient Board met on September 21 at our new R&D Institute in Paris-Saclay. For the past two years, this group of patient experts has been working with our teams and gotten involved in many of the institute’s initiatives. Their latest project is a series of podcasts produced by and for patients.
Comprising 18 patients representing ten different pathologies(1), the Servier Saclay Research & Development Patient Board has been working with our R&D teams so that patients’ views are even more effectively integrated into the new medicine research and development process. During their visit to our R&D Institute, these patient experts had the opportunity to exchange views with our teams, take part in meetings, and discover the podcasts co-constructed with them (see below).
In figures
1st
ever Patient Board to be created by Servier
18
international patient experts representing 10 different diseases
9
countries represented
Paris-Saclay, at the heart of patient engagement
We opened the doors of our R&D Institute in Paris-Saclay, a real showcase for innovation, to the members of the Patient Board in full transparency. They got to see how ideas and proposals are generated, were involved in our in-house projects, and took part in meetings, R&D activities, and external conferences. These patient experts expressed their needs and shared their experiences in a constructive way.
“The work done in the last two years has led to the finalization of this Board, which is a dream come true! This Board opens up new opportunities to make our collaboration with patients even stronger and give new meaning to our teams. Our new collaborative R&D model, which gets patients involved, is essential to making progress in research.”
Claude Bertrand, Executive Vice President Research & Development at Servier
Paris-Saclay, a scientific hub of excellence at the cutting edge of innovation
A high-potential ecosystem of scientific and technological innovation, Paris-Saclay brings together key players in research and industry, as well as leading start-ups. Home to the École Polytechnique, the École normale supérieure and Université Paris-Saclay, it is also a place of academic excellence.
In 2023, our Research & Development Institute opened its doors at the heart of this incredible interdisciplinary innovation cluster, the world’s eighth largest. In just a few years’ time, it will be home to almost 25% of France’s scientific research!
A unique podcast concept lets the patient voice be heard
“The Patient Side of the Story”: this is the name of the podcast project created with and for patients, the latest in a collaboration between Servier and the Saclay Research & Development Patient Board.
It’s a series of poignant podcasts, in which several Board members have agreed to share their individual experiences. Janet, Linda, Tamás, Oriana, Begonya, Thomas, Estelle and Veerle talk about their diagnosis and their daily battle with disease. In each episode, they describe the roller-coaster ride, their worries and their hopes… but also offer practical advice and explain how research contributes to their story. And vice versa.
“Being part of the decision-making process, giving talks on our experience of the disease to doctors and researchers, helping to write articles… By ensuring that a company like Servier really takes our point of view into account, we feel we’re making a contribution to society and helping future patients. It’s very exciting!”
Janet West, a member of the Patient Board and the Patient Side of the Story project.
In 2019, West was diagnosed with tongue cancer and underwent an eleven-hour operation. The first episode of “The Patient Side of the Story” tells her story and giving a strong, warm and positive testimonial that includes her views on the value of integrating the patient voice into medical research.
Listen to the podcast on your favorite platform here
Discover a new episode of “The Patient Side of the Story” every two weeks on servier.com and patients-ensemble.fr as well as on Spotify, Deezer, Google Podcast and Apple Podcast!
Working with patients, a priority for Servier
At Servier, we are convinced that involving patients in all stages of the medicine life cycle makes it possible for them to benefit from the best therapeutic solutions and adapted care over the course of their journey. In order to respond effectively to their needs and those of their families, their opinions and contributions must be valued. We believe that their knowledge of diseases and treatments is essential to advancing research and innovation, and improving therapeutic solutions and care.
1) Patient volunteers who applied to EUPATI (European Patients’ Academy on Therapeutic Innovation), an innovative pan-European initiative involving 33 organizations, led by the European Patients’ Forum with partners from patient associations, universities and non-profit organizations, as well as a number of European pharmaceutical companies.