01 - 02 November 2025, Lisbon, Portugal

The World Patients Alliance (WPA) successfully concluded its European Regional Meeting on November 1–2, 2025, in Lisbon, Portugal, under the theme “Empowering Patients, Transforming NCD Care in Europe: Strengthening patient advocacy, expanding access to care and advancing policy engagement to improve NCD outcomes.”

The landmark meeting brought together leading patient advocates, policymakers, health professionals, and international partners from across Europe to advance the role of patients in addressing the growing burden of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and in shaping equitable, patient-centered healthcare systems.

Over two days, the program featured seven thematic sessions, plenary presentations, and interactive panel discussions focusing on key dimensions of NCD prevention, care and advocacy.

– UN High-Level Meeting Declaration

– Patient-Centered Care in NCDs

– Self-Care for Physical and Mental Wellbeing

– Patient Safety in NCD Management

– Prevention and Early Detection of NCDs in Europe

– E-Health, Telemedicine and AI in NCD Management

– Policy and Advocacy for NCDs

Participants explored the implications of these discussions for European healthcare systems, with speakers and panelists offering regional insights, policy frameworks and practical solutions for improving access, quality and safety of care.

A major highlight of the meeting was the launch of the Institute for Patient Safety & Research at the University of Kalisz, Poland, marking a significant milestone in advancing evidence-based, patient-led research and innovation across Europe.

The meeting underscored WPA’s commitment to embedding patient voices into national and regional health strategies. Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and numerous European national level advocacy groups participated in the discussions, emphasizing the urgent need for patient inclusion at every level of health policy and decision-making.

Presentations and dialogues introduced new frameworks for digital health integration, patient-centered safety protocols, and regional alignment of NCD policies, while highlighting persistent challenges in access, health literacy, and equity and showcasing success stories from patient organizations driving innovation and policy change across Europe.

Insights from the Lisbon Regional Meeting will inform WPA’s ongoing efforts under the Global Patient Agenda 2030, complementing international frameworks including the WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030, the UN High Level Declaration on NCDs, and the European Health Union priorities.

The discussions in Lisbon underscored that patients are not passive participants in healthcare, they are active partners shaping the present and future of health systems. By uniting patient voices, policymakers, and health leaders, the meeting reaffirmed that empowering patients is fundamental to achieving better NCD outcomes, stronger health systems, and greater equity in care across Europe.

The shared lessons from the meeting will guide WPA’s ongoing advocacy, research, and capacity building efforts, fostering collaborative patient networks and accelerating policy transformation to advance patient-centered healthcare across the region and beyond.