Global SMAdvocacy Event
Budapest, Hungary
11 March 2026
Empowering SMA Advocates Worldwide
The 2026 Global SMAdvocacy Event brought together 70 patient advocates from over 40 countries worldwide.
This flagship SMAcademy initiative by SMA Europe strengthens connections and builds synergies in the global community of SMA patient advocates.
SMA organisations from around the world joined to discuss urgent issues: how to prepare for the coming of generics for SMA medicines, how to build effective and impactful patient organisations, and how to leverage political attention towards advocacy goals.
Sharing hands-on experience and strategy, we learn from each other to build a better world for people living with SMA.
Why the Global SMAdvocacy Event Matters
Despite major scientific and therapeutic advances, the global SMA landscape remains highly unequal. Many countries still face significant barriers to diagnosis, standards of care, and access to medicines. Patient organisations, often working with limited resources, have expressed a growing need for collaboration, shared learning, and stronger advocacy capacities. The Global SMAdvocacy Event addresses this need by creating a dedicated space for mutual learning and exchange. Helping patient advocates amplify their impact in dialogue with institutions, regulatory bodies, clinicians, and industry partners.
Photo Gallery
Patient advocates are the force behind many achievements for people living with SMA. At the Global SMAdvocacy Event, patient advocates from all over the world have come together to learn and grow stronger together.