A consumer advisory panel is a high-level group made up of consumers and or community representatives. Established by health, research or healthcare organisations, consumer advisory panels can provide consumer perspectives on relevant issues across a range of research projects, provide input into the design of research and grant proposals, review policies, advocate for people with a particular clinical condition, raise community awareness of research, and, represent consumer views in government, community, consumer and research forums. Participation in a consumer advisory panel builds the capacity of consumers to meaningfully contribute to research and health care improvement.
Here are some key considerations to keep in mind with a consumer advisory panel:
- Think about the target audience – who are the end users of your project?
- Assess needs and recruit thoughtfully to ensure the group reflects the diversity of the community
- Foster positive interpersonal relationships with members of the group
- Have a ‘go-to’ contact person for the group
- Provide opportunities to build skills and knowledge
- Establish communication feedback loops for continued involvement and engagement
- Consider resourcing, training, onboarding of members
- Provide reimbursement and acknowledgement of members
- Recognise and promote success
- Consider how the involvement can be evaluated
A cancer research institute started a consumer advisory panel to inform the work they are doing in the lab when developing new cancer treatments. The panel included cancer survivors, patient advocates and carers who met regularly with scientists and research staff to discuss study priorities, ethical considerations, and the relevance of laboratory research to patient needs. The consumer advisory panel highlighted the importance of treatment side effects and drug tolerability, which lead to the use of patient-derived cell models to better predict real-world responses. They also advocated for more transparency in research progress, which led the lab to develop plain-language research updates for the public on their website and social media platforms. This collaboration improved the relevance and translational potential of the lab’s research by aligning their work with patient needs and priorities, bridging the gap between discovery and clinical application.
Resources
For more information about consumer advisory panels and real life success stories, please see below