EUPATI Highlights Year 1 Achievements in IHI READI Project

In January 2026, EUPATI joined over 75 consortium partners from 18 different countries  in celebrating one year of collaboration within the IHI-READI Project, a major multi-stakeholder effort funded by the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) to make Europe’s clinical research ecosystem more inclusive, representative, and accessible.

Fostering Inclusion Through Education and Training

As co-leads of Work Package 4 (WP4) with GSK, EUPATI has taken on the mission of empowering the READI consortium and the wider research community through education and training focused on inclusive and representative clinical studies. This work ensures that the patient voice, especially that of underserved and underrepresented populations remains central in all aspects of clinical research design and practice.

During the General Assembly, EUPATI Project Coordinator Sarah Bernier, as well as WP4 Task Leads from IPPOSI, UHC, EATG and The Synergist were sharing the stage to present the current WP achievements:

• During the project’s first year, WP4 launched 3 internal trainings for READI Consortium members on meaningful patient involvement in clinical studies and also built awareness on ways to embed patient centricity in everyday project work.
•  The team also co-developed a comprehensive mapping of training materials that already exist worldwide, to avoid duplication and make use of existing best practices, as well as ensuring that future READI trainings respond to the high-priority training needs and gaps that were identified.
• We also developed the foundational work to help define the key user needs for the forthcoming READI Virtual Learning Platform. This platform is envisioned as a central hub where all stakeholders, especially patients from underserved and underrepresented groups. Through this platform they can access tailored high-quality educational materials on inclusive research approaches, health literacy, cultural competency, patient involvement etc.

Cross-Work Package Collaboration and Collective Progress

At the recent General Assembly meeting, partners reflected on how collaboration across all 10 READI work packages has already produced meaningful outcomes in just one year. From advancing inclusive research evidence through real-world data analysis, to building tools and infrastructure for inclusion, and strengthening community collaboration – every partner’s contribution is helping advance the project’s shared vision of a more equitable research environment.

The meeting also emphasised how continuous dialogue between work packages by combining expertise from academia, patient organisations, industry, and regulators strengthens the project’s overall impact.

Looking Ahead

EUPATI is proud to co-lead this essential work and applauds the dedication of all READI partners for their achievements in Year 1. Together, the consortium is setting the groundwork for lasting change in how clinical research is practiced across Europe — one that truly reflects and benefits everyone.

📢 Learn more about the IHI-READI Project and its mission: https://ihi-readi.org.
📰 Read the official press release: IHI-READI General Assembly 2026 Press Release (PDF)

🎯 Stay updated about EUPATI’s involvement in READI via our project page!

Disclaimer: This project is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No 101166227. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme and COCIR, EFPIA, EuropaBio, MedTech Europe, Vaccines Europe, and Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and Breakthrough T1D. This project is also supported by UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) under grant agreement No 10152425 for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and grant agreement No 31052024 for The University Court of the University of Aberdeen.