Fast Company just issued their list of most innovative companies and new on the list is Patients Like Me. It is a very smart idea that benefits many and provides patients with their own advocate communities to discuss chronic ailments and treatment. Patients can absolutely benefit from each other’s experiences. The idea is so simple but so profound. Patients are given the power to control their disease and to share what they learn with others. It was started by three MIT engineers in 2004. They are working to share data with doctors, pharma companies, research organizations, nonprofits and others.
Again, another example of how advocacy communities can benefit each other and possibly provide feedback to pharmaceutical companies and the medical profession. Moreover, it a treatment is not working, here is a good forum to seeing how others are affected and get patient to patient advice.
Tags: Advocacy, community groups, medical profession
Recently became aware of this very cool mobile application that lets consumers advocate for causes just by scanning certain products in stores or restaurants with their iPhone or Android. It is called CauseWorld and it is sponsored by Citibank, Kraft Foods and Proctor & Gamble who have provided nearly $1,000,000 for you to donate. No purchase of their products is necessary – you walk into a store and scan the barcode of products. Each time you scan a product you earn “karmas” and when you earn enough, you can donate them to a variety of charities with which CauseWorld partners.
A really innovative way of turning advocacy into action.
Advocates for the truth. Interesting article about an organization that helps debunk rumors and urban legends….snopes.com. A site like this certainly has a place in this shifting and shifty online world. Take a read about how two individuals started their web site exploring urban legends and ended up being one of the first sites that sift the truth for us. A noble endeavor for advocates in defending reputations.
Tags: Advocacy, reputation, snopes.com
