WHO ARE iCAN YOUTH MEMBERS?
Experts in their own conditions, iCAN Kids Are...
Researchers
iCAN youth members are given opportunities to conduct and publish their very own research! Dive into any topic you are interested in and Present your research at the iCAN Research and Advocacy Summit in July or publish it on iCAN's website. We are constantly amazed by our kids' creativity and inquisitive minds. iCAN's Youth Council is conducting its own research project, connect to see how you can be involved!
Advisors
iCAN connects Youth Members to opportunities where they can advise industry and regulatory partners on ways to improve their procedures and products to be safer and more effective for future pediatric patients via surveys, focus groups, speaking opportunities, and more! Opportunities to be a youth advisor happen all of the time! Check in on iCAN's Website for the most
up-to-date information.
Learn more about iCAN's Seal of Approval!
Storytellers
iCAN strives to empower pediatric patients to share their stories in as many ways as possible. iCAN youth speak on their experiences in healthcare to audiences, like the FDA and industry leaders. Youth members also share their stories through artistic projects like iCAN's and Duke Clinical Research Institute's recent Anthology project. If you have an idea of how you want to share your voice, please reach out!
Open Projects
Kids with and without asthma are encouraged to participate! This focus group is voluntary-community service hours will be logged. For ages 8 - 17!
There are two timing options each looking at different sections of the guide! Feel free to come to both or just one.
Stay Tuned for iCAN's Upcoming Events!
ABOUT iCAN
iCAN believes that pediatric patient voices should be included from the very beginning.
Started in 2014, the International Children's Advisory Network, Inc. (iCAN) is a non-profit 501(c)3 with its headquarters located in Atlanta, Georgia. With chapters on four continents, our members are youth between the ages of ~8 and 18 who are living with chronic, rare, or complex medical conditions. We also welcome children without medical conditions! iCAN gives these youth a platform to share with industry, researchers, and regulators their experiences living with a medical condition, device, drug, or as a kid. iCAN is an official community partner of the FDA and is a part of its Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program (TAP).
iCAN’s members are kids. Chapters include youth and families who are focused on understanding, communicating, and improving medicine, research, and innovation for children. About 90% of our members have some sort of medical diagnosis, anything from something more common like asthma to the rarest of rare diseases. We, at iCAN, believe that every child deserves to be heard and have made it our mission to empower youth to share their voices and experiences.
Our youth comment on the design, implementation, and evaluation of research studies, clinical trials, development of devices and drugs, educational materials, and marketing materials. They also share their stories at conferences and with industry and conduct their own research. iCAN focuses on fostering innovation in healthcare, research, and policy by ensuring that the unique perspectives and needs of children are integrated into pediatric healthcare discussions.