Patient advocacy groups were born of a need to provide support and education for patients and to stimulate research for better understanding of diseases and their treatment (Table 1). At first, the medical community viewed these organizations with skepticism. In the twentieth century, however, health services were redesigned to make patient care central (de Haes, 2006). For the practice of medicine to evolve from illness- and doctor-centered to patient-centered, a record of patients' personal illness experience was essential. Support groups representing patients' views and needs were invited to participate in the process of remaking health policies. Health authorities' recognition of patients and patient advocacy groups transformed the health-care community's perception of these organizations. Now, because they represent patients' perspectives, patient advocacy groups are considered important stakeholders in health-care policies, patient education, national guideline committees, and scientific research.
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