TEDDY Network contributes to Accelerating Clinical Trials in the European Union (ACT-EU) Multi-stakeholder Platform Advisory Group (MSP AG) meeting on patient involvement in clinical trial design and conduct

Patient Engagement in Clinical Research: TEDDY Network Contributions to the ACT EU Multi-stakeholder Platform Advisory Group

TEDDY Network is proud to contribute to the upcomingAccelerating Clinical Trials in the European Union (ACT-EU) Multi-stakeholder Platform Advisory Group (MSP AG) meeting, taking place online, on 17 September 2026, from 09:30 to 13:30 CEST.

The ACT-EU initiative was launched in 2022 by the European Commission (EC), European Medicines Agency (EMA), and Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) to further strengthen clinical trials in the European Union. TEDDY Network has been actively engaged in ACT-EU activities since 2024 and is an academic member of the ACT-EU Multistakeholder Platform’s Advisory Group, representing non-commercial European clinical data and translational research organisations and networks. Through this role, TEDDY contributes to the initiative’s governance and to broader discussions on patient engagement and the future development and improvement of clinical research and clinical trials in Europe.

Donato Bonifazi, Chair of TEDDY Network and a member of the ACT-EU Multistakeholder Platform Advisory Group, will contribute to the session “Patient involvement in clinical trial design and conduct”, presenting on “Building patient engagement across clinical research.”

The presentation will focus on the importance of strengthening meaningful patient engagement throughout the clinical research process, with particular attention to involving patients and their representatives in the design and conduct of clinical trials.

In addition, the presentation will showcase examples of youth engagement initiatives developed and implemented according to the TEDDY Young Patient Engagement and Empowerment Model, as outlined in the TEDDY Charter. While the model has been applied in clinical studies, its principles and approaches can also be adapted to other contexts, initiatives and research projects, including basic and preclinical research. The TEDDY Charter provides a structured framework for youth patient engagement and empowerment, supporting the meaningful and sustainable involvement of young people throughout the research pathway.

The upcoming contribution on patient engagement builds on this continued involvement and reflects TEDDY Network’s commitment to promoting meaningful young patient involvement in clinical research and ensuring that the perspectives and needs of patients, including children and adolescents, are considered   throughout the entire research.