The Japan Patient Support Foundation was established in September 2024 with the aim of creating mechanisms for the continued support of patients and their families.

The battle with illness is never something one can overcome by individual effort alone. In particular, with intractable diseases, it often takes time before a diagnosis can be made; treatment options are limited; communication with society is difficult; and connections between patients are weak. Compared to Western countries, Japan lags behind in establishing supportive environments in these respects. We established this foundation with the belief that true support for patients can only be provided when not just patients’ families, friends, and medical professionals but society as a whole works together.

Our foundation’s main activities include the following six pillars:

Public awareness and education about various diseases

Operating a patient support platform (information dissemination, aggregation, analysis)

Recruitment of participants for clinical research (clinical trials, drug trials, etc.)

Fundraising to support clinical research

Employment support for patients (placement, dispatch, etc.)

Collaboration with overseas companies, organizations, and institutions

We have already gained support and begun discussions with several patient organizations, physicians, and companies. In order to realize collaboration among people in many roles, an operating entity with a neutral stance is needed, and we see that role as being entrusted to this foundation.

A diagnosis of illness has a major impact on patients and their families. While information from physicians is of course essential, it is also valuable to reference the lived experiences of patients themselves—these can shed light on treatment options, the impact on daily life, and strategies for coping with disease from multiple perspectives. A member of my own family once suffered from a disease, and we were helped by websites that offered both medical information and patient stories.

We hope that as many people as possible—patients in particular—come to know of this foundation’s existence. While listening to your voices, we will engage in activities toward a future where patients and their families can lead more secure and fulfilling lives.

Japan Patient Support Foundation
David Liebreich