Activites
Recover+ Digital Rehabilitation and Health Education for Osteoporosis And Osteoarthritis
RheumaCura has a representative on the Patient Partners Advisory Board (PPAB) of this European project financed by the European Partnership THCS (transforming healthcare and care systems), which is a Co-fund action under the EU Horizon Programme from 2025-28. The Swiss principle investigators are based at the University of Geneva, at the Quality of Life Technologies Lab and the University of Geneva Hospitals at the Department of Surgery, Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery.
PrePaC – Prevention of pain chronification
The national PrePaC project, led by Inselspital Bern, supports people with acute pain to stay active and reduce the risk of pain becoming long‑lasting. Using an interprofessional, biopsychosocial approach, the project combines education, improved health literacy, and the participation of people with lived experience. Since the start of the project, RheumaCura has supported this project through the active participation of RheumaCura supporter, Ursula Kühnel.
Under the leadership University of Applied Sciences in Bern a website is being created for patients. It includes a patient journey map made together with patients to help better understand how people living with pain are affected, what can happen and what can be done about it. It is aimed to support not only those suffering from pain, but also relatives and close friends, medical staff and employers.
RheumaCura is one of two Swiss representatives in the European osteoarthritis network NetwOArk, which aims to build a European Society for Osteoarthritis with patients, clinicians, and researchers. Osteoarthritis affects around 10–15% of adults over 60, yet effective therapies that slow disease progression remain very limited. NetwOArk is funded as an EU COST Action (CA21110) to drive coordinated research and advocacy.
Partner With RheumaCura
Few research projects in Switzerland truly involve people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions as partners. Let’s change that — together. Do you have a project idea where lived experience and patient expertise could make a difference? We’d love to hear from you.
A patient-centred registry – Research needs data!
Patient‑centred research needs robust data to understand and respond to patient priorities. At present, much data collected in Switzerland is funded by industry and focuses on information needed to monitor drugs. This is essential, but living with a chronic condition is about much more than medication alone. Data on Quality of Life is just as important to understand and improve living with a chronic rheumatic or musculoskeletal condition. RheumaCura is looking for partners to co‑fund and co-create a citizen‑driven Swiss health registry to collect data needed to measure patient‑centred improvements in healthcare and well‑being.
Teaching and Advocacy
RheumaCura representatives teach on the EUPATI Switzerland patient training course at the University of Basel, strengthening patients’ skills to contribute as equal partners in research. RheumaCura President Judith Safford also teaches on the MAS ETH in digital Clinical Research in Zurich introducing researchers to practical approaches for patient involvement. RheumaCura advocates for patient-centred research at conferences and other public events, and is active in various advisory committees and scientific boards.
Membership and collaboration with patient organisations
RheumaCura is a member of the PPIE Network, a national Association which promotes the involvement and engagement of patients (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement PPIE) in the Swiss healthcare system. RheumaCura is also a member of EUPATI Switzerland, which provides education and training to enable meaningful patient engagement in therapeutic innovation.
RheumaCura supports the goals of Swiss patient associations for RMDs that promote well‑being and self‑determination, such as the umbrella organisation RheumaLiga Schweiz. RheumaLiga offers advice, courses and events, supports people in finding specialist help, and publishes a wide range of useful information through its regional organisations across Switzerland. Other patient organisations support people living with specific conditions, including: Swiss Polyarthritis Association, Swiss Association Morbus Bechterew, Lupus Suisse, Swiss Fibromyalgia Association, Swiss Osteogenesis Imperfecta Association, Swiss Association of Scleroderma patients, Swiss Psoriasis and Vitiligo Society, VASculitis Association Switzerland, Ehlers-Danlos Network Switzerland.