The Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa) is celebrating today, Tuesday 10 June 2025, the 1st Research and Patient Associations Conference, a pioneering initiative that places collaboration between the research community and people affected by different diseases at the centre. The main objective of this meeting is to promote citizen participation in health research and to establish bridges of dialogue and collaboration between research teams and patient associations.
The conference, held at CaixaForum Palma under the motto "What research challenges can we address from the patient's perspective?", has gathered around one hundred registered participants, including patients, association representatives, and members of the scientific, healthcare and academic communities. This high level of participation reflects the growing interest in more open, inclusive research aligned with society's real needs.
The opening ceremony features the presence of Mr. Vicenç Juan, Director General of Health Research, Training and Accreditation of the Government of the Balearic Islands, and Dr. Miquel Fiol, President of the IdISBa Social and Business Council. The keynote lecture is delivered by Pedro Carrascal, General Director of the Spanish Platform of Patient Organisations, who highlights the increasingly relevant role of people affected by diseases in all phases of the biomedical research process-from defining research priorities to disseminating results.
Experiences connecting research and daily life
The conference showcases several successful collaboration experiences between researchers and patients, such as that of the Balearic Andrade Disease Association (ABEA), which has promoted joint projects with local researchers, or initiatives from organisations like Respiralia (cystic fibrosis) and the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC). These examples demonstrate how active patient involvement can help enhance the relevance and impact of research.
A total of 22 patient associations from across the archipelago are taking part, representing a wide variety of groups related to respiratory, neurodegenerative, rare, mental, oncological, metabolic or disabling diseases, among many others. These organisations offer a unique and essential perspective to better understand the daily challenges of living with a disease and to help steer research toward more effective solutions.
Towards more collaborative research with social impact
This conference marks an important step in IdISBa's strategic direction to promote more participatory, translational health research with clear social impact. Direct contact between patients and researchers facilitates the identification of unmet needs, the co‑creation of projects and the establishment of synergies that can have a transformative impact both on knowledge and on people's quality of life.
The event is made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Balearic Islands and the "la Caixa" Foundation, and is part of the actions promoting open science, responsible research and active societal engagement in knowledge generation.