European Association for Palliative Care

European Association for Palliative Care
Name	European Association for Palliative Care
Formation	1988
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	The Hague
Region served	Europe
Leader title	President

European Association for Palliative Care is a professional association founded to advance palliative care across Europe by connecting clinicians, researchers, and policymakers. The organization collaborates with national hospice societies, academic centers, and international agencies to improve end-of-life care through standards, research, and education. It engages with institutions across the continent to influence practice in hospitals, hospices, and community settings.

History

The association was established in 1988 following meetings that involved representatives from World Health Organization, European Commission, Marie Curie hospice initiatives, and national hospice movements from countries such as United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, France, and Germany. Early leaders included clinicians associated with St Christopher's Hospice, Royal Marsden Hospital, and academic units at University of Oxford and Utrecht University, who had collaborated with figures from European Parliament health committees and experts connected to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The association expanded during the 1990s through partnerships with organizations like European Society for Medical Oncology, European Federation of Neurological Associations, and International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care, influenced by guidelines from World Health Organization and research from institutions such as King's College London and Karolinska Institutet. In the 2000s it increased engagement with ministries of health in Spain, Poland, Romania, and Greece and worked alongside charities including Help the Hospices and European Cancer Organisation to shape services.

Mission and Objectives

The association's mission emphasizes improving quality of life for people with life-limiting conditions through evidence-based palliative care promoted across clinical networks, academic institutions, and policy fora. Objectives include developing clinical standards referenced by bodies such as European Medicines Agency, supporting research linked to universities like University of Cambridge and University of Edinburgh, training clinicians who work in settings related to St George's Hospital and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and fostering collaboration with NGOs like Médecins Sans Frontières and professional societies including European Respiratory Society and European Society of Cardiology.

Governance and Membership

Governance is conducted via an elected board drawn from professionals affiliated with hospitals, universities, and national hospice associations such as Irish Hospice Foundation, Hospice UK, Associazione Culturale Cure Palliative Onlus, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Palliativmedizin. Membership categories span individual clinicians, institutional members from centers like Aarhus University Hospital and Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, and national associations representing countries including Sweden, Portugal, Hungary, and Croatia. The executive committee liaises with external stakeholders such as European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, Council of Europe, and academic partners including University College London and University of Amsterdam.

Activities and Programs

Programs include development of clinical practice tools used in hospitals like Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and hospices associated with Hospice de Paris, collaborative networks modeled after initiatives at Mount Sinai Hospital and Mayo Clinic, and educational schemes implemented with partners such as Royal College of Physicians and European Association of Psychosocial Oncology. The association organizes working groups with specialists from Royal Marsden Hospital, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, and rehabilitation services represented by Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago affiliates to produce position statements that inform practice across Europe.

Research, Education, and Training

The organization supports multicenter research consortia involving institutions such as University of Glasgow, Trinity College Dublin, Università di Bologna, and University of Barcelona and collaborates with funders like European Research Council and foundations related to Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It runs accredited training programs in partnership with universities including King's College London and University of Manchester and offers mentorship connecting junior investigators to centers such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Vall d'Hebron Research Institute. Research priorities align with clinical topics addressed by societies like European Society for Medical Oncology and European Respiratory Society and are presented at meetings attended by representatives from European Medicines Agency and national research councils.

Policy and Advocacy

Advocacy efforts target policy platforms including European Parliament committees, Council of Europe health assemblies, and national ministries in countries such as Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, and Slovakia to promote palliative care integration. The association issues guidance that informs legislation and practice harmonization alongside organizations such as European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, and patient groups like European Patients' Forum. It collaborates with legal and bioethics centers at institutions such as Helsinki University and Université Libre de Bruxelles on access to essential medicines and end-of-life decision-making.

Awards and Conferences

The association convenes biennial congresses drawing delegates from academic centers including University of Oxford, University of Milan, University of Zurich, and clinical sites such as Aintree University Hospital and Helsinki University Hospital, as well as representatives from organizations like European Cancer Organisation and International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care. It administers awards recognizing contributions from clinicians and researchers affiliated with institutions such as Karolinska Institutet, University of Copenhagen, and Imperial College London and collaborates with publishers and journals including The Lancet, BMJ, and Journal of Clinical Oncology to disseminate findings.

Category:Palliative care Category:Medical associations based in Europe