ECPO were delighted to attend UEG Week in Berlin this year, one of Europe’s leading conferences in digestive health which welcomes over 13,000 delegates from across the globe.
This year marked a significant milestone, as the United European Gastroenterology Conference included for the first time an open session for patient organisations within its new Patient Community Area. ECPO’s participation followed an invitation from Livia Alimena, Public Affairs & Advocacy Senior Manager at UEG, who has been instrumental in strengthening collaboration between UEG and patient organisations across Europe.
Saturday afternoon, ECPO joined Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE) and Pancreatitis Europe (PCE) to present a snapshot of their advocacy and policy work. Despite representing different disease areas, all three organisations shared common goals and values, highlighting the importance of collaboration in improving outcomes for patients.
On Sunday 5th, ECPO participated in a roundtable discussion covering key topics such as digestive diseases and cancers, patient-reported outcomes, and the role of patients in the development of clinical trials. The conversation reinforced the growing recognition of the value of patient input in research and policy.
The patient presentations continued on Monday 6th, featuring contributions from the European Liver Patients Association (ELPA), EOS Network (Eosinophilic Diseases), and the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AEOCS).
Throughout the event, ECPO hosted a booth where delegates engaged in meaningful discussions with President Diana Castillo and Operations Director Susie Birney, learning more about ECPO’s work to represent and support people living with obesity.
ECPO is honoured to have been part of this milestone for patient engagement at UEG Week and is pleased to have already received an invitation to participate again next year. The organisation looks forward to continuing to build on this collaboration and to strengthening the voice of patients in digestive and metabolic health.