On October 3rd, EFNA’s Community Advisory Board participated in an engaging workshop focused on patient involvement in neurology research at the European level. The event featured presentations by two prominent speakers, sparking lively discussions and providing valuable insights on best practices for patient engagement.

Kristien Aarts, PhD, Chief Research and Innovation Officer at the European Brain Council (EBC), led the session with a presentation titled “Examples of Good Patient Engagement Processes in Research Across Europe.” Her talk highlighted successful examples of patient involvement in research projects across the continent, showcasing models that have made significant contributions to shaping effective and patient-centered research.

EFNA’s Senior Policy Advisor Tadeusz Hawrot followed with a presentation titled on the PsyPal project, titled “PsyPal – A Model for Patient Engagement in EU-Funded Projects, and the Future of Psychedelic Therapies.” This presentation introduced an innovative approach to integrating patients into EU-funded neurological research, particularly in the emerging field of psychedelic therapies.

The workshop was highly engaging, generating many discussions and offering attendees valuable insights on how to improve patient engagement in research processes. This event marks another step in EFNA’s commitment to enhancing the role of patients in neurology research and ensuring their voices are integral to scientific and policy advancements.