What is the HPRA Patient Forum?
The HPRA Patient Forum is a platform for dialogue and exchange of topics relevant to patients regarding the regulation of medicines and medical devices.
The forum is based on a partnership approach to empower patients so their experience and perspectives are heard, acknowledged and actioned to bring about improvements in the regulation of health products.
Why was it established?
The forum was established by the HPRA to give patients in Ireland a voice in the regulatory process, especially in areas of patient safety, licensing and use, and in how the Authority communicates with wider society.
What are the objectives of the forum?
The objectives of the forum are:
- To provide a mechanism for the exchange of information on issues of interest and facilitate engagement with patients in regulatory activities.
- To listen to, and understand, patients and representative organisations' views and consult them in the development of relevant policies, plans and activities.
- To incorporate the values and perspectives of patients into HPRA activities wherever possible and into the wider EU network.
- To help optimise dialogue, communication and information exchange on health products and regulatory activities between the HPRA, patients and the public and vice versa.
How does it work?
The Terms of Reference for the forum sets out that, together with the HPRA, the forum members will prepare a rolling work plan, which includes areas of common interest to patients and the HPRA, and which is aligned with the purpose of the forum.
The work plan will be regularly reviewed, including progress against agreed actions, and updated as necessary.
What are the current areas or topics that the forum are working on?
The focus for 2026 is to continue to deepen the engagement between the HPRA and forum members. The forum will continue work on topics from the 2025 workplan and explore new topics identified as a priority.
The topics for the work plan were agreed in March 2026:
- Prepare an annual report to the Authority on the work of the patient forum in 2025.
- Continue to review the terms of reference concerning membership, including the diversity and inclusivity of the forum.
- Hold a patient speaker programme event for HPRA employees, building upon the success of previous events.
- The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) will deliver a dedicated meeting to discuss topics such as stakeholder feedback on embedding a patient-centred approach across its regulatory processes, further engagement on the safe and effective (expanded) provision of pharmacy services and expanding the PSI's publicly available information on its website.
- Discuss breakthrough technologies and direct-to-consumer tests in the context of medical devices.
- Provide members with an overview of the HPRA's role in regulating cosmetic products.
- HPRA will provide an overview of the National Clinical Trials Oversight Group recommendations, aimed at increasing the number of clinical trials conducted in Ireland.
Further details on each of these topics can be found in the forum's Rolling Work Plan for 2026.
Who are the members?
The forum contains a mix of patients (or carers, patient advocates) and patient organisations, which provides a balanced and wide range of experiences and perspectives.
In so far as possible, the forum will work to ensure representation from across a wide range of diseases and conditions, especially the main disease areas affecting many patients in Ireland, or where treatment depends on high demand or long-term use of medicines or medical devices. Where possible, the voices of underrepresented patient cohorts will be sought.
The following list outlines some of the members of the HPRA Patient Forum.
- Melody Buckley, Advocate, Ocular Melanoma Ireland & Public Member of University Limerick Hospital Group Patient Council
- Mary Casserly, Patient Representative
- Emma Harte, Irish Cancer Society
- Mandy Daly, Advocacy and Policymaking, Irish Neonatal Health Alliance
- Peter Murphy, CEO, Epilepsy Ireland
- Nuala Ryan, Chair, Board of Trustees, NCBRS Worldwide Foundation
- Kate Gajewska, Clinical Manager for Advocacy and Research, Diabetes Ireland
- Patricia Ryan, Patient Representative
- Siobhan Freeney, Patient Representative
Further information on membership can be found in the Terms of Reference for the forum.
How often does the forum meet?
The forum meets four times per year. If feasible, certain topics of interest to the forum may be explored by way of separate workshops.
Can anyone join?
Membership is open to any patient or patient organisation that wishes to join and meets the agreed membership criteria.
Further information on these criteria can be found in the Terms of Reference for the forum.
Where necessary, numbers of attendees will be managed to ensure meetings remain effective.
If you have any questions in relation to membership, please contact patientforum@hpra.ie.
Where can I get more information?
Further details on how the forum operates and its work plan can be found on the pages below:
If you would like any additional information, please contact patientforum@hpra.ie.