EAPC 2026: a unifying congress

This was the first time that such a large delegation had travelled and manned a booth at this congress to provide information on end-of-life research in France, contribute to its international influence, support the French researchers present and develop its network. One of the Platform's objectives is to encourage French researchers to publicize and publish their work abroad, and to take part in European projects. The Platform had encouraged them to submit papers for this congress and organized a webinar to help them succeed in their application. In the end, French research was well represented, with 6 oral presentations and 36 posters.

The Platform team itself was selected for two posters, one on mapping and trends in end-of-life research in France (national analysis 2018-2025), presented by Sophie AUPET, and the other on seven years dedicated to building and supporting a multidisciplinary community of researchers aimed at strengthening research into end-of-life and palliative care, presented by Aurore PERNIN.

The Platform stand served as a contact point for researchers to network and consider new collaborations. The congress was also an opportunity to announce the establishment of a directory dedicated to international researchers wishing to establish collaborations with French researchers, and to encourage them to sign up.

The team has forged numerous links, notably with representatives of the Atlantes Observatory (University of Navarre in Spain), Japanese researchers and members of the German Association for Palliative Care Medicine, who have shown a great interest in the tools developed by the Platform to encourage researchers networking. Some thematic sessions uncovered for example interesting points of methodology concerning European projects that could benefit network members.

The announcement of the successful application of the Platform and its privileged partners (SFAP¹and Interdisciplinary End-of-Life Research Programm²) for the organization of the 22nd EAPC Congress in France was a touching moment that marked the success of a great collective dynamic. At the booth dedicated to this future event, many visitors expressed their enthusiasm to see it organized in Lyon, from May 11 to 13, 2028.

"This was a particularly convivial and unifying congress. We particularly appreciated the scientific wealth, as well as the quality of the welcome and organization", emphasizes Aurore PERNIN, Plateform manager. The team will also have a booth next year at the 21st EAPC congress in Glasgow, before hosting the 22nd edition in Lyon.

1. Société française d'accompagnement et de soins palliatifs
2. The PRI Fin de vie is supported by the Agence de programmes de recherche en santé entrusted to INSERM. Its manager, Clément CORMI, accompanied the Platform team to the congress