The EU-Africa PerMed project was launched on March 4, 2021. The project is funded under Horizon 2020, the European framework program for Research & Innovation.
The EU-Africa PerMed project aims to integrate African countries into ICPerMed activities as a means to contribute to a successful implementation of Personalized Medicine (PM). This collaboration will foster joint PM projects and programmes between Europe and Africa, as well as strengthening bilateral science, technology and innovation relations in the area of health.
The International Consortium of Personalised Medicine (ICPerMed) initiated in 2016, provides a platform to support research in PM. It is formed by more than 40 funding bodies from European Union member states and beyond, including public and private not-for-profit, health research funding and policy organizations.
The project, conceived and designed in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak, responds also to the necessity of global approaches when facing global threats.
EU-Africa PerMed is distributed in six work packages and it looks at identifying and engaging relevant health-related organisations and to foster the integration of funding structures and policy organisations in ICPerMed. It will as well focus on seeking synergies and align with activities of ongoing EU-Africa research programmes and other bi-regional policy actions.
During the next 4 years, EU-Africa PerMed project will be developed by 13 organisations from both Europe (6 partners) and Africa (7 partners). The role of APHRC is to facilitate stakeholder mapping and engagement strategies, gain knowledge on the health R&I and policy landscape in Africa to better understand the context in which the EU-Africa PerMed project will work and carry out capacity building and training activities addressing relevant PM issues for Africa, including the wider adoption of PM standards and taking into account the social, cultural, ethical and legal aspects of the African context.
The kick-off meeting allowed the participants to virtually share and plan the first steps to be taken for launching the action. The meeting was as well attended by the Project Officer from the European Commission and the members of the External Advisory Board, composed by 5 renowned experts that highlighted the opportunity this project brings to join forces, build on existing efforts at African level, and foster a dialogue between initiatives. They also underlined the importance of sharing common approaches to PM and demonstrate the added value PM may bring to health issues in the continent.
For more information, please visit https://www.euafrica-permed.eu/ and follow us on @EU_AfricaPerMed.
Virtual kick-off meeting of EU-Africa PerMed project ( March 4, 2021). Partner organizations, European Commission and Advisory Board Members attended this first meeting.