Melanoma is a global disease, with the incidence increasing worldwide. 

Melanoma UK and other patient advocacy organisations continuously push for access to medicines, regulatory improvements, and research, but in most other countries around the world, patient advocacy is still in its infancy. 

To address this inequity and its effect on melanoma patients worldwide, in 2014 our US colleagues at AIM formed the Melanoma International Patient Advocates Coalition (MI-PAC) to collaborate with organisations across the globe in their efforts to increase awareness and change public perceptions of melanoma, empower melanoma patients to take an active role in their care, and effect change in regulatory policies to optimise treatment and care.

This international coalition is composed of patient advocacy organisations and patient advocates from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Eastern Europe, France, Israel, Italy, Latin America, Portugal, Spain, with Melanoma UK representing the United Kingdom.

The advocates are committed to educating patients and their caregivers/families about melanoma, ensuring access to clinical trials and approved drugs, facilitating the approval process in their respective countries, and raising awareness about prevention and early detection of the disease. Each organisation is legally recognised, independently run, and active on social media.

AIM funds a number of projects for each advocacy organisation in order to obtain better outcomes for melanoma patients and the caregivers/families they represent, regardless of the environmental and political landscapes in which they operate.

AIM provides both funding and content for websites, social media campaigns, and traditional media campaigns. Many of AIM’s educational materials are translated for use in these countries/regions, including AIM’s website.

MI-PAC members and AIM leadership meet yearly, at the Post-Chicago Melanoma/Skin Cancer meeting held in Munich. This conference allows the advocates the opportunity to be updated on the ever-evolving melanoma landscape as well as to network with key opinion leaders and healthcare professionals.

The meeting, the funding, and the materials give the advocates the tools and resources to successfully advocate on behalf of their melanoma communities.

Melanoma UK is a proud member of MIPAC