Prof. Johannes W.J. Bijlsma

Dear Colleagues,

The 19th EULAR Annual European Congress of Rheumatology has begun! I invite you to read about the wide range of sessions, activities, and events taking place in Amsterdam 13-16 June 2019 in the EULAR Congress News.

At this 19^th annual congress, we return to Amsterdam for the first time since the congress was held there in 2006. Amsterdam in 2018 is again providing an unique event for the exchange of scientific and clinical information This year, we are expecting 14,000 participants patients, medical doctors, scientists, health professionals, and professionals representing the pharmaceutical industry, from more than 120 countries in Europe and around the world.

The EULAR Congress 2018 in Amsterdam offers a wide range of topics including clinical innovations, clinical translational research, and basic science. Furthermore, there are meetings organised by People with Arthritis and Rheumatism in Europe (PARE), Health Professionals in Rheumatology (HPR), and by the health care industry. We are also seeing further results from our initiatives, the EULAR School of Rheumatology, the ‘Don’t Delay, Connect Today’ campaign, and the launch of the EULAR Strategy 2018-2023.

EULAR congresses have received tremendous interest in terms of participation and quality of contributions, and this year is no different. We have received more than 5,050 abstract submissions, more than any other year. A total of 370 were accepted as oral presentations this year, and the congress features over 175 sessions and poster tours with more than 560 speakers. Out of the 2,256 poster displays spread over 3 days, 435 posters will be explained in 45 themed poster tours.

We take great pleasure in welcoming medical doctors, patients, health professionals and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry to EULAR 2018, and hope that their stay in Amsterdam will be informative, educational and, last but not least, enjoyable.

Johannes W. J. Bijlsma
EULAR President