"The proposed project ""European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation"" (EUPATI) contributes to IMI’s goal of raising patients’ awareness and participation in pharmaceutical R&D. This patient-led academy will provide scientifically reliable, objective, comprehensive information to patients on pharmaceutical R&D. It will increase the capacity of well-informed patients to be effective advocates and advisors, e.g. in pharmaceutical development, with regulatory authorities and in ethics committees. The Consortium, led by the European Patients' Forum, comprises a unique combination of pan-European patient organisations, academic and not-for profit organisations and 16 EFPIA member companies. It features excellence across disease areas in state-of-the art, high quality, objective education to patients about therapeutic innovation. Supported by an innovative e-platform, EUPATI's network of patients, experts, companies and communicators develops recognised blended learning courses for patients to become 'Patient Experts' in treatment development. It provides educational materials for patient organisations as well as a Wiki-type platform available to all patients in 6 areas of interest. It drives the newest thinking in content and delivery, and harnesses previously ad-hoc activities in a coherent, strategic, quality-oriented and sustainable way. It informs the lay and hard to reach patient community, raising public awareness of the development of new treatments. EUPATI makes a substantial and measurable difference to patients, laying the base for meaningful involvement and empowerment of patients in pharmaceutical innovation, safety of medicines and access to treatments. EUPATI creates synergies across its public and private partners to galvanize the most effective, transparent and credible partnership possible, nurturing the best that industry and patient organisations can offer in this field, whilst respecting core principles of quality and independence of information."