Become a Merakoi Patient Expert

Being a Patient Expert means using your real-life experience to make healthcare better. You don’t need to be a scientist or a professional advocate — just someone who’s lived through a health condition and wants to share that perspective.
At Merakoi, you might join small group discussions, review materials made for patients, test digital tools, or help companies understand what living with your condition is really like. You’re treated as an equal partner, and your insights directly shape real decisions and designs.

No special degree or background is required — your lived experience is your expertise.
Before any project begins, we’ll explain what’s involved and offer short orientation sessions if needed. We value clear, honest communication and curiosity much more than formal training. If you’ve ever explained your condition to a friend or given feedback to a healthcare provider, you already have the skills that matter most.

Yes, absolutely! Merakoi is a global network of Patient Experts representing more than 30 nationalities. Our projects take place across Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and we regularly collaborate with people from all over the world.

Our team speaks German, French, Spanish, and Japanese, and we work with local moderators in dozens of other languages — so you’ll always have support if English isn’t your first language.

However, to participate as a patient consultant (in code design projects), you’ll need to be able to read and understand English well enough to review key project materials and the consultancy agreement. This ensures that everything you sign and contribute to is fully transparent and understood.

Yes, we warmly welcome caregivers, partners, and family members who bring valuable lived experience and insight.
If you’ve supported someone living with a health condition, your perspective can be just as powerful as the patient’s own. Many projects benefit from hearing both sides -- what it’s like to manage care, communicate with healthcare teams, and navigate daily life together.

As long as you have the motivation to share real experiences and the understanding that comes from lived involvement, you can join the Merakoi network and participate as a caregiver expert or partner consultant.
We’ll make sure you’re matched to opportunities where your perspective truly adds value.

It depends on the project. Some might take an hour or two (for example, joining an online discussion), while others might stretch over a few weeks if you’re helping co-create or test materials.
We’ll always tell you upfront what to expect — time, tasks, and payment. You decide if it fits your schedule. Many Patient Experts choose a few projects a year; others get involved more often. It’s flexible and entirely up to you.

We believe your time and insights deserve fair recognition. Every project includes a clearly stated hourly rate or project fee, usually based on local fair-market value guidelines.
Payments are made directly by Merakoi, usually by bank transfer or gift certificate, shortly after your contribution is complete. There are no fees, contracts, or hidden requirements — and you’ll always know in advance what the compensation is before saying yes.

This is one of the best parts: you actually get to see what happens next.
We’ll follow up to share how your feedback helped shape a project — maybe a new patient brochure, a digital app, or changes in a clinical trial experience. Many of our Patient Experts say this is what makes Merakoi different: you’re not just giving opinions; you’re part of creating something that helps others.

Absolutely. Your privacy and safety come first.
When you join the Merakoi network, we only collect the information we need to match you with the right projects — and it’s stored securely according to strict Swiss and EU data protection standards (GDPR).
Your identity is never shared without your consent, and in many projects you can choose whether to stay anonymous or be credited by name. We also make sure any data used for research or reporting is anonymized and handled ethically.

We ask three simple things:

Be authentic. Share your experiences honestly and respectfully.

Be professional. Treat sessions as you would any collaboration — be on time, prepared, and mindful of confidentiality.

Be curious. Ask questions, challenge ideas, and bring your perspective to the table.
We’ll handle the logistics, communication, and support so you can focus on what you do best — helping shape healthcare through lived experience.

Every project follows our Code of Conduct, built on fairness, transparency, and respect.
That means:

You are always informed about who you’re working with and why.

You’re compensated fairly for your time.

You have the right to stop participation at any time.

All work is conducted in line with local and international ethical guidelines for patient involvement.
In short: no tokenism, no box-ticking.

Of course. You’re in control of your participation at all times.
If something changes — your health, schedule, or comfort level — just let us know. We’ll support you in pausing or stepping back without any pressure. Many of our collaborations are designed to be flexible, because we understand that living with a health condition means some days are harder than others.