What is the Global Obesity Patient Alliance?
The Global Obesity Patient Alliance (GOPA) – a unified voice of obesity patient organizations from around the world – is dedicated to igniting and inspiring global change for people living with obesity. We work collaboratively and passionately to increase advocacy to amplify the voices of individuals with obesity across the globe.
Recognizing a mutual desire and need to form a unified patient voice, GOPA was formed with the goal to impact global change for people living with obesity. United by their dedicated focus on growing the voice of the patient around the globe, GOPA’s six founding members, consisting of representatives from North American and European obesity patient organizations and three independent founders, support each other and encourage other obesity patient organizations to join the collective effort.
To view the official press release announcing the launch of GOPA, please click here.
Mission and Vision of GOPA:
The mission of GOPA is to ignite and inspire global change for people living with and affected by obesity through supporting collaboration and advocacy around the world.
GOPA’s vision is a world where the Alliance supports and inspires advocacy for people living with and affected by obesity locally and globally – the strong and unified voices of GOPA are recognized as knowledgeable and impactful stakeholders in the understanding of obesity.
GOPA Goals:
In its initial years, GOPA’s goals are:
- To change the way obesity is viewed around the globe through collaborative initiatives and campaigns
- To use our collective strength to support the local goals of GOPA member organizations
- To reduce stigma and weight bias through cohesive education and messaging that supports the local efforts our membership
- To identify and collaborate on key initiatives, including World Obesity Day
- To grow the reach of patient voices by encouraging more like-minded, established obesity patient organizations to join the Alliance and by fostering the development of new obesity patient voices
- To improve the standard of care for people living with obesity and those managing the disease to increase access to affordable and high-quality care
- To ensure patient organizations play a role in all aspects of research, policy, education and healthcare decision making as it pertains to obesity
Background/History of GOPA:
GOPA was formed out of a strong interest to learn, collaborate, and share voices together. Several years ago, leaders and volunteers from multiple countries in the obesity patient community found themselves coming together informally at various meetings and discussing successes and challenges in their respective regions and organizations. What these groups found was that while they represented different regions and backgrounds, our challenges with obesity were not all that different. Recognizing the immense value of listening and sharing with one another, this same group began to meet more regularly and conceived the idea to explore forming an Alliance to continuing learning, but also amplifying the voice of the person with obesity on a global level.
In 2019, GOPA began to take form through the nurturing by representatives from six obesity patient organizations and three founding representatives. GOPA is proud to officially launch in 2020 and welcomes fellow patient organizations from around the world to join in this effort!
View a current list of GOPA Member Organizations by clicking here.
Contact Us
If you are interested in learning more about GOPA, please contact us.
GOPA serves as an independent, informal coalition of patient groups; it is not a legal entity and as such does not directly receive or distribute any funds. Novo Nordisk has supported GOPA by providing funding for an independent secretariat to support the day-to-day running of GOPA. Industry partners have no influence on the choice, content or execution of any activities. All GOPA activities and materials are developed and created solely by GOPA as a patient led organisation, and outside influence on content and editorial is strictly prohibited.