Background: Over the last decade there has been considerable research into the treatment, management, and quality of life of people living with multiple myeloma. However, there has been limited investigation into topics deemed important to patients and caregivers within this community. We conducted a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership to establish the 'Top 10 Priorities for Myeloma Research', informed by patient and public partners.
Methods: A research team and steering group were established in 2019 to conduct the myeloma priority setting partnership. Steering group members included patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers who advised the research team and oversaw the scope of the project, grounded on their lived experience. Following the James Lind Alliance guidelines for identification and ranking of research questions, we used surveys and a virtual workshop to collect and prioritize questions posed by myeloma patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers across Canada.
Results: The Top 10 list of priorities for myeloma research was finalized at the consensus-building workshop and encompassed questions related to diagnosis, treatment, management, and living well with myeloma. A final participant evaluation survey elicited a positive response.
Interpretation: The myeloma priority setting partnership identified the research priorities of people living with myeloma, caregivers, and healthcare providers to inform clinical research on this disease going forward. This project underscores the importance of patient and public engagement in the identification of research questions, highlighting the concerns of people affected by myeloma to ultimately improve the lives of people living with this disease.
Keywords: Multiple myeloma; Patient and public involvement; Patient engagement; Priority setting.
Research on multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer, rarely focuses on topics that are personally important to people living with myeloma, their caregivers, and their healthcare providers. The purpose of this study was to complete a priority setting partnership, following guidelines from the James Lind Alliance, to identify unanswered research questions from people directly affected by myeloma. The project was guided by a steering group of people living with myeloma, their caregivers, and healthcare providers who informed all stages of this process including two questionnaires to collect and rank questions and a priority setting workshop. The workshop brought together representatives from each group to form the final ‘Top 10 Priorities for Myeloma Research’, which included questions related to diagnosis, treatment, management, and living well with myeloma. This process allowed us to identify the research priorities of the myeloma community and highlighted the importance of including patients and the public as team members in the research process. We encourage other myeloma researchers to do the same to ensure research is meaningful and relevant to the communities who rely on it.
© 2023. The Author(s).