Winner
Early Action Diabetes: Global Policy Summit
Summary of work
Diabetes is a global burden that is set to increase further over the next 25 years but action by governments to address the problem is slow and disparate. AstraZeneca, IDF and PCDE, working with MHP Communications, identified a need for countries to come together to advocate early action against diabetes, through prevention, early diagnosis and early control of blood sugars. By holding an international diabetes policy summit of healthcare professionals, patient organisations and policymakers, the partners enabled delegates to share best practice in their countries and discuss the steps required to ensure governments implement early action policies in diabetes.
The summit, held in Barcelona in November 2015, attracted 65 expert delegates from 15 countries across Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Each country produced a national policy advocacy roadmap and committed to implement the plan in their home nation in 2016. The event received positive feedback from delegates and after the summit, both IDF and PCDE - along with the World Heart Federation - confirmed their partnership with AstraZeneca for the following Global Diabetes Policy Forum in Berlin in December 2016.
Judges’ comments
This was a huge undertaking; not only covering multiple countries but a wide range of stakeholders, patient groups, HCPs and policy people. Well designed and ambitious, with a clearly defined strategy and amazing outreach through social media. Although this is a three-year programme, it clearly delivered against objectives, enabling experts from multiple countries to share best practice and generate the content and evidence needed to advocate for policy action.
