European Commission, Directorate General for Public Health-supported project to improve the involvement of patient associations in health-related European studies and research.

Based on the WHO definition:

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,

we have in recent years seen a shift in health policy priorities towards considering a broad spectrum of citizen and patient needs. Globally, health system policy makers are now subscribing to the new paradigm of citizen or patient-centred services. If empowering the citizen  is to imply more than just generic policy declarations, one needs to provide him with the means and tools to become a well-informed and self-assured patient, to involve him in decision processes in a way best suited to his level of understanding and knowledge, and to provide him with optimal medical services in situations when he does not want to, or is physically or mentally unable to be part of such processes. Value Plus will provide patient organisations with the tools to influence policy-making at EU-level and to participate in EC-funded projects of concern to their constituency. Empirica is supporting these efforts through the statistical analysis of past and ongoing EC-funded projects which show elements of patient involvement to derive insights on barriers and facilitators for greater patient involvement.