Patient Voices at the Center: Join the 2026 Michigan Patient Advocacy Forum
On May 20, Michigan’s patient advocacy community, healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers, and industry professionals will come together for the 2026 Michigan Patient Advocacy Forum — a virtual event focused on strengthening patient-centered collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem.
Hosted by MichBio and sponsored by Genentech, the Forum creates space for meaningful conversations around advocacy, equity, rare disease awareness, patient engagement, and the evolving role of lived experience in shaping healthcare innovation.
The program will feature patients, caregivers, advocacy organizations, researchers, and industry leaders sharing perspectives on the challenges patients face — and the opportunities to build a more inclusive and responsive healthcare system. Sessions will explore topics including rare disease collaboration, health equity, patient engagement in research and development, and new approaches to accelerating therapies for underserved patient communities.
Attendees will hear directly from voices across Michigan’s advocacy landscape while gaining insight into how collaboration between patients, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, policymakers, and the biosciences industry can drive meaningful change.
Featured sessions include:
- Patient Voices: Personal Journeys, Lasting Impact
- Stronger Together: Uniting Michigan’s Rare Disease Community
- The Equity Imperative: Ensuring Every Patient Counts
- Patients Can’t Wait: Rewriting the Playbook for Developing New Therapies
Additional speakers and panelists will be announced in the coming weeks as the agenda continues to expand.
Whether you are a patient advocate, caregiver, healthcare professional, policymaker, researcher, nonprofit leader, or industry stakeholder, the Forum offers an opportunity to connect, learn, and contribute to conversations shaping the future of patient-centered healthcare.
The 2026 Michigan Patient Advocacy Forum will take place virtually on Wednesday, May 20 from 1:00–5:00 PM EDT. Learn more and register at Michigan Patient Advocacy Forum Event Page.
