Rare Patient Voice: Empowering Patients and Caregivers with Wes Michael
In this episode, Candice sits down with Wes Michael, founder of Rare Patient Voice, an organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of patients and caregivers through healthcare research. Wes shares how his background in market research led him to create a platform that connects people living with rare and non-rare conditions to surveys, interviews, and clinical research opportunities that help shape the future of healthcare.
In this episode, they discuss:
- How Wes transformed an idea into Rare Patient Voice and grew it into a global organization
- Why patient and caregiver perspectives are essential to healthcare research
- The role patient feedback plays in improving treatments and quality of life
- Common misconceptions about participating in research studies and clinical trials
- How patients and caregivers can get involved and be compensated for sharing their experiences
- The importance of raising awareness about rare diseases and chronic health conditions
- Wes's vision for a future where research leads to better outcomes and cures for more diseases
Every story matters. When patients and caregivers share their experiences, they help create possibilities for better treatments, stronger support systems, and a healthier future for everyone!
About Wes:
Wes Michael founded Rare Patient Voice in 2013 to give patients and family caregivers the opportunity to voice their opinions by taking part in all types of research studies. Rare Patient Voice has now recruited for thousands of studies and rewarded patients and family caregivers with over $15 million for their participation. Many have been recruited in person by Wes and his team at patient events and through a robust referral program with patient advocacy and support groups. Rare Patient Voice now covers over 1,500 rare and non-rare diseases and conditions and has expanded from the United States to Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand.
Before launching Rare Patient Voice, Wes worked for healthcare market research firm Kantar Health. He previously was a brand manager and market research manager at McCormick (the spice company) and General Mills (working on Wheaties, Total, and Kix cereals). He has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania (with a year at Edinburgh University) and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Wes lives outside Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife, Cathy, children Julia and Cliff, grandson Taylor, and dog Stanley.
https://rarepatientvoice.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesmichael/
https://www.instagram.com/rarepatientvoice
https://www.facebook.com/rarepatientvoice
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