Spanish patient organization legal reform efforts

The Foro Español de Pacientes (FEP) has been advocating for increased institutional influence and stable financial support within the Spanish healthcare system. In mid-September, FEP president Andoni Lorenzo testified before the Health Commission of the Congress of Deputies, calling for a ‘secure, stable, and continuous’ funding framework. Lorenzo argued that such funding is necessary to ensure the independence and institutional capacity of patient organizations and urged that the proposed Law of Patient Organizations move beyond ‘rhetorical recognition’ to create concrete mechanisms for participation in healthcare decision-making.

By late September, discussions progressed toward the formalization of the Law of Patient Organizations. During a session in Madrid, FEP leadership noted that the legislation aims to legitimize patient associations as decisive actors within the National Health System. Javier Padilla, the Secretary of State for Health, attributed the reform's momentum to the maturity of these associations. While the proposed law seeks to institutionalize participation and protect associations from administrative shifts, the specific sources for the public funding of these organizations are expected to be determined in subsequent stages of the legislative process.

As of late September, the FEP continues to push for this new Law of Patient Organizations to legally integrate and protect the voice of patients within the National Health System, with ongoing discussions centered on the necessity of public funding.