Patient Research Partners (PRPs)
Why Involve Patient Research Partners?
“Research is stronger when it reflects the experiences and priorities of the people it aims to benefit.”
Involving patient research partners brings valuable lived experience and expertise into research projects, strengthening relevance, quality, and impact.
Involvement
In the evaluation process
As part of FOREUM’s project evaluation process, patient research partners focus on three key areas:
Participation
Are people living with RMDs actively involved?
Benefits
Will the research address patient priorities?
Burden
Is participation feasible and appropriate?
Patient research partners combine lived experience with ongoing training and expert guidance, supporting their contribution to research and project evaluation.
In the research process
FOREUM strongly recommends the involvement of patient research partners in clinical research projects and encourages their involvement across all areas of research.
Patient research partners bring lived experience and experiential knowledge to research, helping to strengthen its relevance, quality and potential impact.
Where appropriate, patients and patient organisations should be involved as partners throughout the design and development of the research process.
Our Commitment
“Patient involvement is not just an add-on — it is integral to FOREUM’s approach to supporting excellence in research.”
Since its inception, FOREUM has been committed to involving patients in research. This commitment is demonstrated by:
- encouraging researchers to involve patient research partners
- including the patient perspective into proposal evaluation through the contribution of trained patient research partners.
- supporting access to patient research partners
Need Help?
Looking for a patient research partner?
EULAR's PARE network connects researchers with trained patient research partners for proposal development, project participation, or research review.
Contact: pare@eular.org
Please send requests at least 10 working days before your application deadline.
Resources
Reference cards: Download
Booklet: Download