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Listen: Episode 3 in Our Audio Series on Cell and Gene Therapy

We get the patient perspective from advocate Durhane Wong-Rieger, who says there are many unknowns.

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podcast promo featuring Durhane Wong-Rieger who is Chair of the Rare Disease International Council

The third episode of our audio series launches against the backdrop of the European Haemophilia Consortium 2021 conference. In “Patient Choices and Preferences,” science writer and broadcaster Vivienne Parry talks with Durhane Wong-Rieger, Chair of the Rare Disease International Council, about patient-centricity in cell and gene therapy.

Cell and gene therapies offer the promise to change patients’ lives, preventing years or even decades of poor health and heavy treatment burden. “The New Horizon Talks” Audio Series stimulates dialogue on these innovative treatments to promote long-term health care system sustainability and patient access.

Listen to the discussion here.

The latest conversation explores how cell and gene therapy care must be planned and delivered so it’s responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values.

Wong-Rieger reflected on the meaning of “patient focus” in this arena. Patient-centricity can ensure that a therapy will be relevant to the patients – and this is even more true for cell and gene therapy because these treatments have unique properties that conventional medicines do not.

Patient Advocacy organizations have a key role to play in providing information to patients and supporting them as they embark on the journey.

“It is a huge responsibility for the patient community to inform individual patients on important aspects that relate to these very promising therapies, which have a lot of unknowns,” she said.

The full conversation runs about 30 minutes and is moderated by science writer Vivienne Parry. Visit the podcast program page where you can subscribe and find all the episodes