European Lupus Meeting – Venice October 5th-8th

The European Lupus Meeting is a scientific congress focusing on clinical practice and lupus research in Europe, that takes place every other year. This year it will take place in Venice from October 5th – 8th. Between 500-700 people, with the majority being doctors from the rheumatology or immunology fields, but also various other specialties, will attend to get updated on what is happening in lupus.  Some people from industry and a few patients, among others, will also participate.

Earlier this year LUPUS EUROPE called all members and our online community to encourage the submission of abstracts with a patient perspective for the scientific review at the European Lupus Meeting 2016.

We received 6 eligible abstracts – and all 6 were accepted! Two for oral presentation in the programme and four for poster viewing during different sessions. This is a fantastic success rate and we congratulate everyone for their hard work:

Marina Falanga will present on THE ITALIAN SLE SURVEY BY WEB: INVESTIGATING PATIENTS’ UNMET NEEDS AND IMPROVING CARE SYSTEM THROUGH VIABLE ONLINE SURVEY TOOLS October 7th, Perla Room, at 12.10-12.20.

Davide Mazzoni will be giving his oral presentation of SOCIAL SUPPORT AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN SLE on October 8th, Casino Room 12.10-12.20.

Elena Forgione will present her poster Sociocultural context; Mind-Body; Doctor-patient relationship on the 7th, during the morning poster viewing session.

Amaia Dominquez will present her poster SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS; HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQOL); PAIN, also on October 7th, in the afternoon poster viewing session.

On behalf of Blanca Rubio, Kirsten Lerstrøm will present Capabilities of European lupus groups; Members of LUPUS EUROPE, also during the October 7th afternoon poster viewing session.

Patients are admitted without a registration fee which is a fantastic acknowledgement of the situation of the patients themselves as well as the groups they could represent. None have any funds to pay the rather substantial admission fee, when on sick leave or working on a voluntary basis. This year a small group of patient representatives has registered and, further to the above mentioned, a good group from Italy will be there, together with a couple from the UK, Denmark, Lithuania and France.

We are really looking forward to the four days of the European Lupus Meeting 2016!