2016 has been an amazing year for Patient Innovation!

2016 has been an amazing year for Patient Innovation!

Let us share our latest news:

Patient Innovation recognized at summit with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Patient Innovation (PI) was one of five projects selected as an example of "Commitments to Collective Action” at the "Summit on Science and Technology Enablement for the Sustainable Development Goals”. This summit was organized and hosted by the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), in New York, on November 29th 2016. Our participation was justified by the fact that PI is already contributing to two of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: 3 (Good health and Well-Being) and 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), as Pedro Oliveira showed in his plenary presentation. Our participation in the event was recognized and deemed “highly encouraging” by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

NYAS’s President and CEO Ellis Rubinstein invited Patient Innovation for this event in a meeting at the Academy last August. The NYAS has over 20,000 members in 100 countries and, throughout its history of 200 years, its membership has featured leaders in science, business, academia, and government, including U.S. Presidents Jefferson and Monroe, Thomas Edison, Louis Pasteur, Margaret Mead, Albert Einstein or Charles Darwin.

PI shortlisted for "Non-Profit Startup of The Year”

We are honored to be shortlisted for "Non-Profit Startup of The Year" at the Healthcare Startup Awards by the Healthcare Startup Society, in association with Virgin Limited Edition, out of over 1000 entries from all over the world. The Awards Ceremony will be held on December 17th 2016, in London. Doctorpreneurs, Living It Up and Selfless are the other finalists in our category.

Article at the New England Journal of Medicine – Catalyst

Our new article on innovation by patients came out at the New England Journal of Medicine – Catalyst, where we show that patients and their caregivers are able to create many different types of innovations. Some of these innovations actually improve the patient’s health or alleviate symptoms, others make daily life easier. Too often, however, the innovation never moves beyond its originator to benefit others. We must find ways to support and disseminate these innovations, many of which can improve health and quality of life and reduce the cost of care. Please check it out here.

The 2nd Patient Innovation Awards ceremony at the Web Summit

The Web Summit brought about 53.000 attendees to Lisbon, from November 7th to November 10th 2016. The Web Summit was divided into 21 different conferences according to the various themes. The 2nd Patient Innovation Awards Ceremony was held at the HealthConf, on November 10th.

With a full room, Pedro Oliveira did a presentation of Patient Innovation and the PI Awards, and Manuel Heitor, Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, delivered the awards and diplomas to the seven laureates. Minister Heitor also delivered a speech about the research that resulted in the current PI project, and the importance of having users (patients and caregivers) who innovate to overcome their daily challenges. Giesbert Nijhuis, a laureate from Netherlands, couldn’t be present, so Govert Jan Bijl de Vroe, the Dutch Ambassator in Portugal, received the award on his behalf.

After the ceremony, there was a round-table moderated by Francisco Veloso, Dean of Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, about the importance of innovation by patients and caregivers. Michael Seres talked about his experience as a patient, inventor and entrepreneur, and Joyce Lee explained the benefits of using design to improve the quality of life. Helena Canhão and Pedro Oliveira shared the experience of the PI project.

The Patient Innovation Awards Forum

Prior to the awards ceremony at the Web Summit, Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics hosted the Patient Innovation Awards Forum on November 9th 2016. This was a pre Web Summit event, open to the community, with several distinguished guests, as well as the 2nd PI Awards laureates. This way, our laureates had the chance to meet the Patient Innovation community and to present themselves as well as their innovations.

We were also very humbled and honored to have the presence of Tzipora Rimon, the Israeli Ambassator in Portugal, as well as representants from the UK and Russian Embassy in Portugal.

Beyond the Lab European tour

Meanwhile, the Patient Innovation European tour keeps moving!

This European tour consists of “Beyond the lab: The DIY science revolution”, an exhibition about do it yourself innovations. Patient Innovation and more seven innovations from its platform are on display at these exhibitions!

After Bonn (Germany), London (UK), Warsaw (Poland), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Losinj (Croatia), and Luxembourg, the exhibition is now open at Granada (Spain), and Copenhagen (Denmark). On January 23rd 2017, the exhibition will open at our hometown (Lisbon) and eventually it will go to a total of 29 countries, ending in May 2018. Don't miss this oportunity to get to know us.

The Patient Innovation team wishes you a Merry Christmas and an excellent new year of 2017!

Patient Innovation (PI) is a nonprofit, international, multilingual, free venue for patients and caregivers of any disease to share their innovations. PI is an initiative by Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics in collaboration with Instituto de Medicina Molecular (IMM).