On May 9, 2025, Ms. Yui Kohno, Manager at Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), delivered a presentation at Symposium 19 “Co-Creating with a Citizen-Centered Approach, a Society Resilient to Infectious Diseases,” held at the joint meeting of the 99th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Infectious Diseases and the 73rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy in Yokohama, Kanagawa.

In her presentation, titled “Bridging Voices: Advancing Citizen-Centered Involvement to Counter Infectious Diseases,” Ms. Kohno introduced collaborative efforts with patient organizations and patient leaders, partnerships with national and local governments, and the recent launch of “Japan’s Patient Expert Platform (J-PEP).”She also shared personal experiences learned from the process of establishing J-PEP, and discussed the differences between non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and infectious diseases, and the possibilities for co-creation between the fields of infectious diseases and NCDs in the context of meaningful patient and public involvement.

The joint meeting was held under the theme, “Shaping the Future of Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy: Co-Creation Between Basic and Clinical Sciences,” and featured lively discussions on a diverse range of topics. The meeting emphasized the importance of co-creation, defined as “collaboration across affiliations, professions, and organizations with diverse stakeholders to create a new value system together.” Participants from various backgrounds brought their expertise and worked toward a shared vision throughout the three-day event.

HGPI will continue to work together with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to realize a future in which a wide range of people with lived experience, including patients, people living with health conditions, their families and caregivers, service users, and other members of the public can participate meaningfully and sustainably in policy-making processes.

Symposium 19 “Co-Creating with a Citizen-Centered Approach, a Society Resilient to Infectious Diseases”

■ Chairs:
Atsushi Nakamura (Professor, Department of Clinical Infectious Diseases Control, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University)
Junko Tanuma (Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare)

■ Speakers:
“The Role of Civil Society in the Fight against AIDS – Legacy and Challenges–”
Junko Tanuma (Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare)

“Infectious Diseases and Patient Public Involvement (PPI)”
Kaori Muto (Professor, Division of Public Policy, Center for Human Genome Research, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo)

“Bridging Voices: Advancing Citizen-Centered Involvement to counter Infectious Diseases”
Yui Kohno (Manager, Health and Global Policy Institute)