European Action Plan launched to develop new tools to assist patient adherence to medicines
A new European action plan was launched this week to help the development of innovative new technologies and processes to improve patient adherence to medication.
The plan is part of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Active and Healthy Ageing, a European Commission-supported initiative to bring together stakeholders to address societal challenges.
Focusing on the fact that the number of people aged 65+ in Europe will almost double over the next 50 years, from 85 million in 2008 to 151 million in 2060, the plan looks for new approaches and innovation in the delivery of this aspect of health care.
Noting that adherence to long-term therapy for certain chronic illnesses in developed countries averages at only 50%, the plan looks to identify innovative organisational, technical and medical practices that could be developed in order to achieve better adherence.
Over 40 stakeholder organisations have so far come forward to contribute to the EIP’s Action Plan developments in these areas, including regional health departments, Universities, national medicines agencies, and pharmaceutical and device companies.
Some of the concepts to be taken forward by the Action Plan include developing new:
- early warning systems for poor adherence to medicines;
- ways to use mobile devices to facilitate adherence to medicines;
- prototype web applications for diabetes medicines management;
- IT packages to promote real time information exchange between patients, GPs and pharmacists;
- device sensors which can monitor complex drug compliance;
- software programmes to help 65+ diabetic and multi-morbidity patients;
- uses of social network tools to monitor adherence; and,
- ICT based programmes for remote monitoring of health status and adherence to medical plans.
The Action Plan also envisages the participating stakeholders collaborating to produce new patient empowerment tools, including web-based training programmes.
Individually active partners in the Plan include the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), NHS Scotland, the Hospital de Getafe (Spain), the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (Madrid), the Department of Health and Consumer Affairs of the Basque Government, and the University of Coimbra Hospital (Portugal).
See Action Plan document here: http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/pdf/active-healthy-ageing/a1_action_plan.pdf
News article here: http://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/europe_launches_health_plan_for_its_ageing_population_448125
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