The World Patients Alliance (WPA) contributed the patient perspective at AESGP Switch Day 2026, held on 7 October 2026 at the Renaissance Brussels Hotel in Brussels, Belgium.
Jolanta Bilinska, Founding Director and Treasurer of WPA, participated as a speaker in the conference, which brought together stakeholders to discuss the future of self-care and non-prescription medicines in Europe under the theme “The Value of Non-Prescription Medicines in a Changing Regulatory Landscape.” The Programme examined the role of prescription-to-non-prescription switch in improving access, supporting innovation in self-care and contributing to more sustainable healthcare systems. AESGP
Jolanta’s participation brought the patient perspective into discussions on how changes in access to non-prescription medicines can work effectively for patients. WPA highlighted the importance of clear and understandable information, appropriate safeguards, meaningful patient involvement and equitable access as self-care policies and regulatory approaches continue to evolve.
For WPA, expanding opportunities for self-care should go together with ensuring that patients have the information and support they need to make informed decisions about their health. Patient perspectives are therefore important in shaping approaches that improve access while maintaining safety and responding to different patient needs.
WPA’s participation in AESGP Switch Day 2026 reflects its continued commitment to ensuring that the patient voice is represented in European health policy discussions and that changes affecting access, self-care and medicines remain centred on the needs and experiences of patients.
