Health Consumer Advocacy and Support

This section is dedicated to HCOs and the patients they represent.  It provides an array of resources to help you understand the complexities of the medicine supply chain, regulation to reimbursement.

Health Consumer Organisations (HCOs) provide a powerful voice for patients across Australia. They are involved in disease education; provide help lines, emotional support, and access to treatment. They are also crucially engaged in discussions about the healthcare system. The scope of their work is expanding to include collaborations with a number of stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies, on projects ranging from raising public awareness of specific diseases to facilitating participation in clinical trials of innovative medicines.

From an industry perspective HCOs can provide an invaluable perspective on the development of new, innovative treatments and their use in clinical practice.

This section is dedicated to HCOs and the patients they represent.  It provides an array of resources to help you understand the complexities of the medicine supply chain, regulation to reimbursement.


Working Together Guide

The ‘Working Together Guide’ is a joint collaboration between Medicines Australia and its member companies along with Healthcare Consumer Groups and Patient Advocacy Groups.  It is a practical guide of how industry and consumers can work together for the benefit of patients whilst upholding high standards of engagement.

Relationships with HCOs are well regulated through the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct, and all financial relationships are publicly disclosed as a requirement of the Code.


Responding to the challenge of COVID-19

Relevant and useful information on COVID-19 specifically for Health Consumer Organisations and patients can be found here.

We are in this together – everyone and every part of the Australian healthcare system and community has an essential role to play. It is imperative we work closely together now in a collaborative and organised way to help us get through these challenging times.


Patient Voice Initiative

The Patient Voice Initiative (PVI) is a collaboration between patients (or health consumers), researchers and industry working towards improving the patient voice in the Australian healthcare system.  It provides a forum for collaboration and dialogue, purposeful initiatives to support patient involvement and provide tools and resources to help raise the patient voice.