On September 10th 2024, the CML Advocates Network’s Community Advisory Board (CAB) had the unique opportunity to meet with Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan to discuss the progress made on commitments to the CML community since their previous in-person meeting in 2018. Representing the global CML patient community, advocates Šarūnas Narbutas, Pat Garcia-Gonzalez, Lisa Machado, and Jan Geissler engaged in meaningful discussions about Novartis’ evolving approach to patient engagement and the future of their long-standing collaboration with CML patient organizations.
During the meeting, the CML Advocates Network emphasized the importance of continuing research toward a true cure, improving survivorship outcomes, and enhancing global access to CML therapies. The group also called for more comprehensive research into patient preferences, quality of life, and tolerability of treatments. Vas Narasimhan reaffirmed Novartis’ commitment to CML and its long-standing collaboration with the community, with plans to develop a joint action list for the future.
On the day before, a CML-CAB session with the Novartis cross-functional teams facilitated in-depth discussions on advancing shared goals and gave the opportunity to the CML-CAB participants to give input into Novartis ongoing clinical development program and global access initiatives.
