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Report 1st Research Forum of the EAPC
Berlin, Germany, 710 December 2000
To view the scientific programme and the presented abstracts, please go to: http://www.kenes.com/eapcresearch
After the first two years of its work, the Research Steering Committee (RSC) decided that, in addition to the biennial European EAPC Congress, a conference especially focused on research in palliative care was necessary to spread information about research activities and invite healthcare professionals to participate in discussions on research issues.
This conference endeavoured to provide training for researchers, but also to give an overview of ongoing research projects and recommendations for clinical practice. It aimed to include healthcare professionals involved or wishing to get involved in research in palliative care from all European countries.
One hundred and sixty abstracts had been submitted showing the increased interest in research among palliative care specialists and about 350 participants from 40 countries took part in the discussions on problems currently facing research in palliative care.
In four lectures in plenary, two roundtable discussions as well as 18 sessions, 50 experts from Europe and overseas reported on topics of interest in research and evaluation, not only on pain and symptom management, but also on other areas of palliative care, such as ethical considerations or psychosocial needs. Topics such as the legalisation of euthanasia and sedation in palliative care, were also discussed in great detail. The participation in the discussions was extremely positive.
The speakers came from Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the USA and represented the following professions and specialties: physicians, nurses, social scientists, ethicists, pharmacists, anaesthesiology, neurology, oncology, pain therapy, palliative medicine, pharmacology, psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine and statistics.
The sessions with a combination of invited speakers and free communication were well received, as were the poster presentations. Three book prizes for the best posters were awarded.
The Congress had the support and collaboration of the Deutsche Gesellschaft for Palliativmedizin (DGP German Society for Palliative Medicine). The Congress had received Continuing Medical Education (CME) accreditation from the German Association for the Study of Pain (DGSS) and the Royal College of Physicians of the UK.
Thanks to the SOROS Foundation, a limited amount of sponsoring money was available for participants from Eastern European countries, which will be allocated by the President of the EAPC. The Congress hosted the first meeting of OSI EAPC ECEPT on collaboration and common projects.
The Scientific Committee has received much positive feedback both during and after the Congress. Participants stated that the exchange of information and the expert discussion was very enlightening.
The Research Steering Committee is confident that the Congress has provided a valuable input to the development of palliative care within Europe, and hopes that many new ideas and plans for future projects will stem from the events in Berlin.
We would like to thank all those involved in the preparation and running of the Congress, who helped to make this event such a success.
Lukas Radbruch, Chairman of the Scientific Committee, Germany
Franco De Conno, Chairman of the Research Steering Committee, Italy
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