Bianchi (Novartis): ‘Information and interaction, so closer to patients’

“When it was born 10 years ago, Allies for Health had the intent to combine the objectives of a leading company in the innovation sector with the needs of patients, to create an alliance, but also to influence and make people understand institutions, politics and the entire supply chain that deals with health the role and centrality of the patient. Over the years Allies for Health has grown, developed and today has become a real brand, a platform that deals with information and interaction and has a great prospect of growth “. This was stated by Angela Bianchi, Director of Communication and Relations with Patient Associations of Novartis Italy, during the presentation workshop of the new board of patient associations of Aleati per Salute, a portal dedicated to medical-scientific information created by Novartis, also born to counter the phenomenon of fake news. “Fake news, which alters understanding, but above all confidence in the value of innovation and pharmaceutical research – says Bianchi – are a fundamental theme in the patient’s health path. Health should not be seen as a vertical asset or a problem to be faced when a situation arises, but as an issue that concerns all of us, the whole of society, the economy, the way of being for all of us. The objective for Novartis is therefore to support, within of society, this trust and allies for health is certainly a pillar in this. ” Then there is another important issue, according to Bianchi, that of “telemedicine. For this reason – he adds – Novartis, also through the Allies for Health platform, helps in a greater understanding of this tool, of the value of approaching it through new canals, at an early diagnosis, to overcome all those complicated passages and that distance that unfortunately proved to be highly problematic between local medicine and the hospital “. During the pandemic, the role of information was fundamental. “Allies for Health has opened up to public opinion, it has set itself up as a reliable platform in terms of information, but also of involving various players in the system – observes Bianchi – But the goal today is to create a dedicated area to the general practitioner, to the prescriber, to healthcare professionals, as well as having a section dedicated to a board, a group of patients or representatives of patient associations who act as spokespersons, who help us understand the patient’s needs and to be able to guide our strategic choices, our projects in an integrated vision precisely to facilitate the interaction between patient, doctor and, consequently – he concludes – involve the world of information and institutions in a goal that is truly significant for the whole society and for our system “.