US Experiencing Record High Drug Shortages

The United States is experiencing an unprecedented number of active drug shortages. This was reported by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the University of Utah Drug Information Service. Despite changes in shortage levels over the past decade, the trend has been steadily increasing since 2021. It reached a record-high of 323 drugs in… Continue reading US Experiencing Record High Drug Shortages

Communicating drug risks/benefits so the message really gets through

Last month, Jim, a member of the PatientsLikeMe Team of Advisors, was invited by Sally Okun, PatientsLikeMe’s VP Advocacy, Policy & Patient Safety, to present at the Drug Information Association (DIA) Pharmacovigilance Conference. He also led a lunch roundtable for drug risk/benefit communications experts. Sally, who also participated on the roundtable panel, says requests for… Continue reading Communicating drug risks/benefits so the message really gets through

Sally Okun explains the new research collaboration with the FDA

Yesterday, we announced a new research collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that will explore how patient-reported data can lead to new insights about drug safety. It’s the first time the FDA will analyze patient-generated data for pharmacovigilence (aka drug safety). But we’re no strangers to drug safety. Check out some of… Continue reading Sally Okun explains the new research collaboration with the FDA

PatientsLikeMe and the FDA Sign Research Collaboration Agreement

WASHINGTON D.C., June 15, 2015—PatientsLikeMe and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have signed a research collaboration agreement to determine how patient-reported data can give new insights into drug safety. Under the collaboration, PatientsLikeMe and the FDA will systematically explore the potential of patient-generated data to inform regulatory review activities related to risk assessment… Continue reading PatientsLikeMe and the FDA Sign Research Collaboration Agreement

Sally Okun reports back from the FDA Patient-Focused Drug Development Public Meeting on IPF

On September 26th I was at the FDA for the Patient-Focused Drug Development Public Meeting on IPF. This is one of 20 meetings that the FDA is holding to learn directly from patients and their caregivers about daily life with the specific condition’s symptoms and treatments. (You can learn more about these meetings here.) I have attended… Continue reading Sally Okun reports back from the FDA Patient-Focused Drug Development Public Meeting on IPF

Jamie delivers keynote presentation at DIA 2014

Our co-founder, Jamie Heywood, recently traveled to San Diego to receive the Drug Information Association’s (DIA) 2014 President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in World Health. With the award in his hand and speaking to everyone who was attending the event, he accepted it on behalf of the quarter million PatientsLikeMe members (this is for all… Continue reading Jamie delivers keynote presentation at DIA 2014

Improving drug safety through the patient voice

At PatientsLikeMe we’re interested in bringing the voice of our patients to the attention of those who make drug products and to the regulators that approve them. Since 2008 we have conducted a series of projects to collect safety information from some of our member communities. We’ve worked with our pharmaceutical partners to help them… Continue reading Improving drug safety through the patient voice