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KARACHI, Nov 01 (APP): The Critical Care Research Group at Ziauddin University, in collaboration with the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC), organized the 2nd National Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Summit 2025, titled “Awaz se Aaghaz” here on Saturday.
The summit aimed to strengthen the culture of Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) in health research by fostering collaboration, dialogue, and knowledge sharing among researchers, institutions, and community representatives.
It sought to promote awareness, showcase best practices, encourage collaboration, and build capacity for sustainable and inclusive health research across the country.
While delivering the keynote address, Dr. Baber Saeed Khan, Director of the Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) at the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) and Founder of the ACRP Ambassadors Club Pakistan, laid a powerful vision for a patient-centric revolution in Pakistan’s healthcare research.
He passionately articulated that for research to genuinely serve and transform communities, it must be co-created with them from the ground up. “Building a systematic culture of involvement is not merely a procedural step; it is the very foundation for ensuring transparency, fostering trust, and achieving outcomes that accurately reflect the real-world needs and cultural context of our people,” he stated.
Highlighting both the ethical imperative and practical necessity of this approach, Dr. Babar further elaborated, “This means moving beyond the traditional model where patients are passive subjects, to one where they are active partners and co-architects in the research process. Their lived experiences are not just data points, but essential insights that can steer scientific inquiry towards more meaningful and sustainable solutions. When we listen to the community’s voice from the initial design of a study to the dissemination of its results, we do not just improve research, we democratize it, ensuring that medical progress translates into tangible, equitable health for all.”
Speaking on the purpose and vision of the initiative, Prof. Dr. Madiha Hashmi, Chair of Critical Care Medicine at Ziauddin University, articulated a clear and powerful mission. She stated, the core objective of this summit is unequivocal to position the patient’s voice as the fundamental compass for all national health research.
By bridging the critical knowledge gap that exists between the public and the research community, we are not merely sharing information, we are cultivating essential trust, nurturing profound understanding, and creating a collaborative ecosystem where researchers and community members can jointly make decisions that are truly informed, inclusive, and impactful.
Adding to the strategic momentum, Prof. Dr. Nikhat Siddiqui, Active PPIE member and former Dean of Research at Ziauddin University, shared her visionary perspective. She expressed that today, we are not just holding a meeting; we are authoring a new, untold chapter for medical research in our region, one where lived experience is seamlessly integrated from the outset, becoming the very catalyst that shapes how we design, deliver, and evaluate every study.
The National PPIE Group stands as a dedicated catalyst to systematically harmonize these diverse voices, establish gold standards for engagement, and ultimately transform passive involvement into genuine, co-owned partnership for a shared and sustainable impact, she added.
Representing the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Hanifullah, Deputy Director emphasized the importance of ethical governance and public participation in shaping national health policies. He remarked, “Meaningful engagement between regulators, researchers, and patients strengthens our ability to deliver research that is both scientifically sound and socially responsive. DRAP stands committed to promoting inclusive frameworks that uphold patient safety and public trust.”
Among the distinguished international speakers were Richard Stephens, Patient Advocate (UK) and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Research Involvement and Engagement, and Professor Phaik Yeong Cheah, Professor of Global Health and Bioethics at the University of Oxford and Head of Bioethics & Engagement at the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Thailand. Both highlighted international experiences and strategies for embedding PPIE principles in health research systems worldwide.
The summit concluded with a panel discussion and interactive Q&A session, featuring representatives from national and Karachi-based health institutions.
The engaging dialogue explored pathways for establishing a National PPIE Network in Pakistan, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering patient-centered research and promoting meaningful community engagemen