Alliance for Patient Access Marks 20 Years of Patient-Centered Advocacy

A small group of clinicians has grown into a national force for patient-centered care

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance for Patient Access, or AfPA, is celebrating two decades of clinician-led advocacy that has helped shape health policy affecting patient access, treatment choice and the clinician-patient relationship. At a time when coverage restrictions, utilization management and administrative barriers increasingly interfere with patient care, AfPA ensures that health policy reflects real-world clinical practice and patient needs.

Founded in 2006 by a small group of clinicians, AfPA has grown into a nationally respected convener, educator and coalition leader that elevates clinician and patient perspectives in policy discussions. Today, AfPA's work reaches policymakers, regulators and stakeholders across the country.

"For 20 years, AfPA has made sure that health policy is grounded in what actually happens in exam rooms and hospitals— not just on paper," says Josie Cooper, executive director of AfPA. "That work is important now more than ever, as clinicians and patients face growing barriers that delay care, limit treatment options and undermine shared decision-making."

The organization began with a single clinician working group and expanded to address multiple disease areas as access challenges proliferated. In 2014, AfPA established the Global Alliance for Patient Access, extending its model of clinician-led advocacy to international health policy conversations. Since then, AfPA has engaged clinicians in policy roundtables, congressional testimonies, formal comment letters, media commentary and the development of practical education and advocacy resources.

"Over the past 20 years, health care has become more complex, more regulated and more challenging for the clinician-patient relationship," says David Charles, MD, chief medical officer of AfPA. "Clinician voices keep policy grounded in medical evidence and patient outcomes. AfPA provides a trusted platform for those voices to be heard when it matters most."

AfPA's work is supported by direct, ongoing engagement with policymakers and steady coalition growth. Today, AfPA includes 11 clinician working groups, 12 coalitions, five affiliates and five state chapters— an infrastructure that allows clinicians and advocates to respond quickly and credibly to emerging policy threats to patient access.

As AfPA enters its next chapter, the organization remains focused on strengthening its advocacy and education efforts to meet a rapidly changing health care system — giving patients and clinicians a continued voice in health policy.

About the Alliance for Patient Access

The Alliance for Patient Access is a national 501(c)(4) organization of policy-minded clinicians and advocates dedicated to advancing patient-centered care and protecting access to medically appropriate treatment.

SOURCE Alliance for Patient Access