ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Patient associations are now increasingly authoritative interlocutors in dialogue with institutions and the private sector: they represent needs and demands of millions of people, participate in decision-making tables and actively contribute to the transformation of the health system. In this framework, Lilly launched in 2024 the Reports project, an institutional platform designed to build an authentic, continuous and paritarian dialogue with Patient Associations active in many therapeutic areas: neuroscience, oncology and hematology, diabetes and obesity, autoimmune pathologies. After the first edition focused on the evolution of the health system and the second one, held in Rome in May 2025, dedicated to the strategic value of the communication of the Associations – from which a shared Manifesto emerged – the third edition is configured as a workshop oriented to action: to transform the comparison between peers into a common vision, to be brought into dialogue with the institutions through a concrete address document. Today, at the MoMeC – Montecitorio Meeting Center in Rome, the 16 Associations of the network met some members of the institutional world to present the proposals elaborated during a working session held last April 22. Representatives of the Associations, led by journalist Annalisa Chirico, Director of Fortune Italia, compared with Elena Murelli, member of the X Commission Social Affairs, Health, Work and Social Security of the Senate; Matelia Syracuse, Undersecretary of State to Relations with Parliament, Ylenia Lucaselli, member of the Fifth Commission Budget, Treasury and Programming of the Chamber, and with Francesco Zaffini, President of the X Commission Social Affairs, Health, Work and Social Security of the SenateThe Associations (AIL, AIMA, AIPAFAFAFAFORE ODV, Amici Oltre alignment strengthening of territorial medicine for the management of chronicity, with a strengthened role for the doctor of general medicine and pharmacist; new models of reimbursement to ensure the availability of innovative therapeutic options; national standards for screening and prevention programs. “The institutional relations platform was born of the conviction that dialogue between patients and institutions is not only desirable, but necessary to build a more fair and effective health system – says Federico Villa, Associate Vice President Corporate Affairs & Patient Access of Lilly Italia -. Network associations represent more than 20 million people with different pathologies: listening to them means listening to Italy that needs care. We are proud to offer a space in which this voice is transformed into a concrete proposal, able to guide tomorrow’s health policies.” “This year we come to the third edition of Relations that I would define as a platform for dialogue, collaboration and joint construction of patient associations and with the support of Lily – says Benedetta Bitozzi, Associate Director of Lilly Italia –. We have taken a three-year course with the aim of reporting the voices of patient institutions with institutions and this year we come to a policy dialogue between institutions, private entities and associations. Propositions that goran”RELATIONS is a platform for dialogue with associations, patients and families, must serve to solve the problems that these people live every day within our healthcare system – says Elena Murelli. From booking to diagnosis and treatment we need to understand what problems are and try to solve together. My motto is “prevent is better than cure” and we have already done so in the law of Budget by inserting 260 million for prevention of breast and breast cancer. Now we want to broaden this vision by including genomic and genetic testing for certain pathologies, such as deafness or other rare diseases. These tests allow us to go first to intercept the disease and then go more and more towards a personalized patient therapy.” With regard to the proposals of the associations on the new models of refundable, “clearly we must find a common fall point, in the sense that there are already a series of plans that we must expand and improve”, the words of Ylenia Lucaselli. “All this – he adds – also falls within and above all in the management of resources by the State-Regions Conference to prevent there is disparity on the national territory so as to give the same response to each patient on the national territory. Surely it is a path that can be done, but today’s meeting is to be considered as a starting point to start a constructive dialogue.” To close the day, the meeting with Davide Bendotti, paralympic athlete and testimonial Lilly for Milan Cortina 2026, which brought his testimony of resilience and determination in comparison with the Associations. “The paralympic sport taught me that the limits exist to be redefined – says Bendotti –. Being here today, next to the Patient Associations and the Institutions, reminds me that the same determination I carry in the race is the same that millions of people put every day in living with apathology. I hope my path can be a message of possibilities.”.
– photo xs6/Italpress –(ITALPRESS).
