France to host EAPC World Congress in 2028

France's candidacy, supported by the French National Platform for End-of-Life Research and its privileged partners (SFAP and the Programme de recherche interdisciplinaire sur la fin de vie), has been selected by the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC). The 22nd congress will be held in Lyon from May 11 to 13, 2028.

Visual of the EAPC 2028 with a view of Lyon - Photo credit Iulian Rotaru

The European association for palliative care (EAPC) is an organization whose aim is to promote and support the development of palliative care in Europe and worldwide. Its strategic objectives include supporting research, disseminating its results and promoting innovation in this field.

His World Congress is the leading international scientific event dedicated to end-of-life research and palliative care. It brings together over 2,000 participants from nearly 80 countries. Until now, it had only been organized in France once, in 1990, for its first edition.

annonce de l'EAPC

In order to raise the profile of French research, boost its visibility and dynamism, and encourage French researchers to present their work to the international community, the French National Platform for End-of-Life Research wanted to support France's bid to organize this congress. It was supported in this by two privileged partners, the Société française d'accompagnement et de soins palliatifs (SFAP), and the Programme de recherche interdisciplinaire sur la fin de vie. It has also solicited and garnered the support of numerous partners (see box opposite).

The quality of the application submitted was recognized by the EAPC, which chose France to organize its 22nde congress. This will be held in Lyon, from May 11 to 13, 2028.

The official announcement took place on May 16, 2026, during the closing ceremony of the 20th EAPC congress held in Prague. Sarah CARVALLO, co-chair of the Platform, said in her speech, "France is among the top-ranked countries for the quality of palliative care and research1. This dynamic is the fruit of years of collective work, interdisciplinary collaborations and constant mobilization of the scientific and healthcare community. Through our candidacy, we wanted to convey a vision: that of interdisciplinary, collaborative and profoundly human research. Research that brings together all disciplines and fully recognizes the essential role of the human and social sciences in understanding end-of-life issues and building a genuine palliative culture in our societies. We are particularly proud to see French researchers fully involved in this international adventure."

"This success is above all the result of a collective dynamic carried forward by the members of the board, the Platform's operational team and all the partners committed to this application alongside us," emphasizes Aurore PERNIN, head of the National Platform for End-of-Life Research. The community is now mobilizing to build an open, interdisciplinary and deeply unifying international scientific congress.

  1. According to the ATLANTES Global Observatory 2025 ranking: https://en.unav.edu/web/atlantes-global-observatory-of-palliative-care

Support

  • Société française d'accompagnement et de soins palliatifs (SFAP)
  • Interdisciplinary Research Program (PRI) End of Life carried out by the Agency for Health Research Programs entrusted to Inserm
  • Direction générale de l'offre de soins (DGOS) of the Ministry of Health, des Familles, de l'Autonomie et des Personnes handicapées
  • Direction générale de la recherche et de l'innovation du ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche et de l'Espace
  • Comité national de coordination de la recherche (CNCR) clinical research
  • France universités
  • Conseil national des universités (CNU) Médecine palliative
  • Collège national des enseignants pour la formation universitaire en soins palliatifs (CNEFUSP)
  • Centre national soins palliatifs et fin de vie (CNSPFV)
  • Revue Médecine palliative.
  • Délégation régionale académique à la recherche et à l'innovation (DRARI) Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
  • Université Marie et Louis Pasteur
  • Maison des sciences humaines et environnementales (MSHE) Ledoux
  • Métropole de Lyon
  • ONLYLYON Tourisme et Congrès.