CDF Trains Patient Advocates in Celiac Disease Research at the University of Chicago

On October 21, 2017, the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) held a Patient Advocacy Program workshop at the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center’s Annual Celiac Education Day.  Historically, medical research has not tapped the expertise of patients in the design and development of new treatments, often leading to disconnects between therapeutic outcomes and real patient needs. CDF’s Patient Advocacy Program seeks to address this disconnect by creating a national network of informed patients who understand the medical research process and who can engage with both the research and the patient communities to facilitate patient-centered outcomes in celiac disease research. Trained Patient Advocates are offered exclusive opportunities to participate in clinical trials and focus groups, and are solicited for research study feedback.