OAFI Hosts Annual OA Patients Force Meeting & 9th OAFI Congress in Barcelona
On October 21, 2025, we held the annual OA Force meeting in Barcelona, bringing together a powerful coalition of osteoarthritis patient advocates. Leading organizations — ReumaNederland, AFLAR, and the Arthritis Foundation — joined OAFI (Osteoarthritis Foundation International) to strengthen global cooperation around OA (osteoarthritis).
What Is the OA Force?
The OA Force, officially known as the OA Patients Force, is the only worldwide working group dedicated exclusively to osteoarthritis patients. It represents over 150 million patients across more than 10 countries, fighting together to improve quality of life for the estimated 595 million people living with symptomatic OA globally.
This alliance — led by OAFI and the Arthritis Foundation — brings together patient associations from Europe, Latin America, and the U.S. Through the OA Patients Force, members collaborate on activities like:
- Patient and public education about OA
- Advocacy for better health policies and patient-centred care
- Research projects, including the Global OA Patient Perception Survey (GOAPPS), which explores how OA is experienced across different countries and cultures.
- Enabling patients to contribute to and steer research, clinical training, and scientific initiatives.
The Annual OA Force Meeting
The October 21 meeting provided an in-depth review of ongoing global OA Force initiatives, offered updates on current research, patient surveys, and advocacy priorities, and focused on strategic planning to strengthen patient-centered care while enhancing the OA Force’s influence on global health policy.
On October 22, the following day, Corné Baatenburg de Jong (ReumaNederland) and Françoise Alliot Launois (AFLAR) officially opened the 9th OAFI Congress, held in Barcelona. This congress continues to be a pivotal international gathering of patients, clinicians, and OA experts united around improving joint health, sharing knowledge, and amplifying the patient voice.
A global alliance, key to manage patients’ needs
The OA Force amplifies the global patient voice, ensuring that the lived experiences and concerns of millions are central to research and policy. By uniting under OAFI, the OA Force strengthens advocacy efforts, bringing greater impact to initiatives aimed at improving healthcare access, prevention, and management for osteoarthritis. Collaborative projects like GOAPPS ensure that research reflects real-world patient priorities, while member organizations benefit from shared resources, education, research insights, and a supportive international community.