Involving consumers in health research through the use of consumer panels: a scoping review.

Plain language summary Aim Consumer panels bring together people with lived experience (consumers) to help guide health research. This study reviewed 71 research studies from high-income countries to understand who participates in consumer panels, what activities panel members undertake and what are the key outcomes from using consumer panels in health research. Findings Most of the studies came from the Netherlands and the United States. The panels were either quite small (fewer than 50 people) or very large (more than 200). There was a lot of variation in who participated in the panels and the extent of their involvement in health research. Often, panel members were only involved at certain points, such as giving feedback on research questions or helping design research materials. They were less often involved throughout the whole research cycle. Some studies highlighted the benefits of involving consumers, especially for researchers. However, the longer-term benefits for the consumers themselves were not always clear or well described. Conclusion Overall, the review found that consumer panels can play a valuable role in shaping research by bringing in real-life perspectives. To ensure consumer involvement is more meaningful and longer-lasting, researchers need to better explain how they establish and operate consumer panels, and how they measure their impact on both research and health outcomes.