Updates on the EPC 2022 - Kyiv, Ukraine (Virtual)

Message from March 11th, 2022

To all colleagues dedicated to the study of the pancreas and beyond, 

Stunned, deeply saddened, and with utmost concern we continue to watch Russia’s war against Ukraine unfold. As medical doctors, scientists, and humans we strongly condemn this violent invasion and any further act of war.

Our thoughts and empathy are with our Ukrainian EPC President Professor Natalya Gubergrits, our Ukrainian colleagues, families, friends, and all Ukrainian citizens who are suffering unimaginably in the current situation. 

We and others call for support in this humanitarian crisis: medical care and further medical supplies for the Ukraine are urgently needed. The EPC has made a donation to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and encourages everyone to consider making a donation. 

We also strongly encourage every Pancreas researcher and clinician to attend the annual 2022 EPC meeting, which will be held virtually in Kyiv. Let’s make this meeting the biggest success ever and thereby send a clear message to our Ukrainian friends and colleagues, and to the world. 

Peace is the highest good we have and all of us have a responsibility to preserve it. 

The EPC Steering Committee

Register for the annual meeting now to show your support, which will go directly to the Ukrainian congress organizers: 

https://epc2022.eu/registration/

Also, please note that the abstract deadline has been extended by one more week to Sunday, March 27th, 2022

Message from February 25th, 2022

Dear Colleagues and Pancreas Lovers,

In the early hours of February 24th, we sadly watched as war broke out in Ukraine. Our thoughts are with our colleagues and friends there as we hope for a rapid resolution of this conflict. 

Earlier this week, the EPC Executive Committee unanimously voted to make this year’s EPC meeting a virtual event. As you all know, this comes after two years of virtual EPC meetings as a result of the SarsCOV2 pandemic. While we know that many of you would prefer to have a face-to-face meeting this year, we feel it is only fair and right to keep the virtual location of the meeting in Kiev. The situation is challenging, but we will do everything to make this possible. 

As a community of scientists, researchers, and healthcare providers, the EPC stands against war and promotes unity and friendship.

Medicine was born in connection with philosophy as a humanistic science in ancient Greece. Humanism is, indeed, the basis of medicine throughout history. It aims to provide healthcare with honesty, empathy, compassion, altruism, and respect to dignity and beliefs.

Also, while medicine seeks to fight diseases of the body like bacteria and viruses, philosophy seeks to fight the diseases of the mind like half-truths, prejudices, and hate, which have a direct impact on health, and health delivery. Thus, war is our enemy.

In the words of Virchow, a name that is familiar to pancreatologists, “Medicine is a social science, and politics nothing but medicine on a grand scale.”

This is why we ask all EPC members and colleagues all over the world who are interested in pancreatic disorders to show their support by participating in the Kiev 2022 EPC meeting and submitting a record number of abstracts. In this way we can raise our voice and take a stand for peace.

Please note that we have extended the deadline for abstract submission to Sunday, March 20th. Several awards for outstanding abstracts will be available. Details to follow shortly. 

Let’s meet virtually as a community in Kiev. We will soon gather together physically, too!

Sincerely,

Link to the EPC 2022 meeting website