On June 19, 2025, VPH hosted a key webinar that brought together researchers, communicators, and policy experts to explore a fundamental question: how can we ensure that in silico medicine truly serves the needs of society?
In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital health, simulations, and Virtual Human Twins, we must ensure that innovations are trusted, relevant, and responsible. In other words, the patient (and the other stakeholders) should be at the table, not on the table.
With this objective in mind, VPH released the In Silico Medicine Info Kit: a practical, open-access resource stemming from our involvement across EU-funded projects like In Silico World, SimCardioTest, SimCor, REALM, and EDITH-CSA.
The session opened with real-world examples highlighting both the successes and failures of stakeholder engagement and communication—ranging from public protests against GMOs and nuclear energy to the groundbreaking, patient-led advocacy that shaped the global response to HIV/AIDS.
We then discussed:
The growing need for early engagement with diverse actors – patients, clinicians, regulators, and the public – not just to inform them.
The role of stakeholder engagement in trust-building, project legitimacy, and social uptake.
How the VPH, as an ecosystem organisation, can support this shift from top-down communication to inclusive co-creation.
The Info Kit is a free, downloadable toolkit designed for:
Researchers
Project managers
Communication teams
Stakeholder engagement leads
It includes:
Step-by-step guides to identify and prioritise stakeholders;
Templates and tools to design engagement activities;
Practical examples and insights from our multi-year involvement in European collaborative research.
This is not just a “communication manual” – it’s a roadmap to ensure that your research is both scientifically impactful and societally anchored.
Stakeholder engagement is not a checkbox. It’s a method for building relevance, legitimacy, and trust.
Social sciences and humanities are essential allies in navigating the ethical, cultural, and emotional dimensions of innovation.
Inclusion should start from day one of a project, not during dissemination.
Explore the Info Kit
You can look at the webinar here.
Download the Info Kit here.
And if you’re developing or coordinating a Horizon Europe project and looking for a strong partner in stakeholder engagement and in silico research, VPH is ready to collaborate.
