Working consultations and a special session with the participation of patient organizations from Poland and all the Member States as part of the Polish Presidency of the European Union took place as part of the international conference “10th Health Challenges Congress” in Katowice (Poland) on 13 and 14 March 2025.  

Organizers: The Commissioner for Patient Rights and the Minister of Health

Agenda March 13, 2025

Opening Session of the Health Challenges Congress: "Safety, Law, Future" (open for all the participants of the Health Challenges Congress)

• 09:30 – 11:00

Opening remarks by hosts and honorary guests, including:

• Katarzyna Kacperczyk, Deputy Minister of Health

• Bartłomiej Chmielowiec, The Commissioner for Patient Rights in Poland

• The list of other panelists of this session is available here.

Patient Organizations Roundtable (closed session- only for patients’ organizations)

Moderator: Jakub Adamski, Director of the Co-operation Department, The Office of The Commissioner for Patient’s Rights in Poland

• Part I: 11:30 – 14:30

• Lunch: 14:30 – 15:00

• Part II: 15:00 – 16:00

Introduction:

• Katarzyna Piotrowska-Radziewicz, Director of the Pharmaceutical Policy Department, Ministry of Health

• Jakub Adamski, Director of the Co-operation Department, The Office of The Commissioner for Patient’s Rights

• Mariano Votta, Director Active Citizenship Network, promoter of the European Charter of Patients' Rights, Italy - The Experience of the European Charter of Patients' Rights (presentation – speech - Video on the European Charter of Patients' Rights)

Protection of Patient Rights in EU Member States- Case Studies of Patient Rights Violations

-presentations:

• Luminita Valcea, Executive Director of Coalition of Patients Organisation with Chronic Disease from Romania

• Robert Hejzák, M.A., National Association of Patient Organizations (NAPO) Board Chairman, Czechia

• Reneta Ilieva, International Projects' Coordinator at Bulgarian Association for Patients' Defense (BAPD), Bulgaria (presentation – speech)

• Mariano Votta, Director of Active Citizenship Network - Cittadinanzattiva, Italy (presentation – speech)

• Christopher Vella, Vice-chairperson of the Malta Health Network, Malta

Roundtable discussion: Principles of the European Charter of Patients' Rights in Light of Contemporary Challenges

Moderator – Jakub Adamski, Director of the Co-operation Department, The Office of The Commissioner for Patient’s Rights in Poland

• Stephen A. McMahon, Director of the Irish Patients Association, Ireland

• Jasna Karačić Zanetti, Head of Health Diplomacy and Patient Rights Department, The International Chair in Bioethics, Patient Ombudsman, International Council of The Patient Ombudsman, Croatia

• Penilla Gunther, Member of Swedish Parliament 2010-2018, Founder, Member of the Board in FOKUS Patient, President of EUPSF - European Patient Safety Foundation, Sweden

• Mariano Votta, Director Director of Active Citizenship Network – Cittadinanzattiva, Italy

• Igor Grzesiak, vice president of Institute for Patients’ Rights & Health Education, Poland

• Maria Teresa Flor de Lima, MD, MSc, Vice-President of Association of Chronic Pain Patients of the Azores, Anesthesiologist, Pain Medicine Doctor, Master in Palliative Care, Portugal

• Joseph Maes, Chairman, board member of the European Patients Empowerment for Customised Solutions (EPECS), MSc, Ambassador of Positive Health

• Prof Jacek Jassem, MD, PhD, Dr hc –Medical University of Gdańsk, President of President Polish Cancer League

Open discussion with online participants

Special Session of the Commissioner for Patient Rights and the Ministry of Health: The Value of the European Charter of Patients' Rights (Open Session)- in BALLROOM B

16:30 – 17:30

Introduction:

• Katarzyna Kacperczyk, Deputy Minister of Health

• Bartłomiej Chmielowiec, The Commissioner for Patient Rights in Poland

Panel Discussion: Why Should We Adopt a Common European Charter of Patients' Rights?

Moderator: Jakub Adamski, Director of the Co-operation Department, The Office of The Commissioner for Patient’s Rights in Poland

Panelists:

• Mariano Votta, Active Citizenship Network, promoter of the European Charter of Patients' Rights, Italy

• Prof Jacek Jassem – MD, PhD, Dr hc –Medical University of Gdańsk, President of President Polish Cancer League

• Joanna Frączak-Kazana, deputy director, outreach program manager, Alivia –

• oncological foundation, Poland

• Magdalena Kołodziej, CEO of "WE the Patients" Foundation, Vice President, Council of Patients' Organizations at the Ministry of Health, Poland

• Penilla Gunther, Member of Swedish Parliament 2010-2018, Founder, Member of the Board in FOKUS Patient, President of EUPSF - European Patient Safety Foundation, Sweden

• Stephen A. McMahon, Director of the Irish Patients Association Director of the Irish Patients Association, Ireland

• Jasna Karačić Zanetti, Head of Health Diplomacy and Patient Rights Department, The International Chair in Bioethics, Patient Ombudsman, International Council of The Patient Ombudsman, Croatia

Summary and Conclusion

Furher information:

• A Call from Patient Organizations for a Harmonization of the Patient Rights in the European Union

• Programme and panelists’ bio

• Video

• Photo gallery

• White Paper “Healthcare Policy Recommendations”

• Comments (A- B – C – D - E - F)

• The Relevance of the European Charter of Patients’ Rights as a Tool for Advocacy in the Framework of the Covid-19 Pandemic

• Articles (A - B)

• Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union (A – B)

• Rzecznik Praw Pacjenta