EUROPSO’s 35th Anniversary Celebration and Members Meeting: A Milestone in Psoriatic Disease Advocacy

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On the eve of November 25th in Brussels, EUROPSO hosted a celebratory dinner, setting the stage for the Members Meeting that followed on the 26th. The occasion marked the organization’s 35th anniversary and brought together members and esteemed guests.

Opening the Members meeting on November 26th, the President, Jan Koren, said: “Over the past three and a half decades, EUROPSO has evolved into a dynamic coalition, with 21 organizations from 20 countries. Your engagement has been instrumental in our growth. Our collective commitment remains unchanged—to advance the prevention, treatment, and research of psoriatic diseases. Through education, we aim to enhance understanding not only within the medical community but also in the broader public sphere.”

The EUROPSO Members Meeting 2023 and 35th Anniversary Celebration are pivotal moments in the organization’s history. President Jan Koren’s address and the comprehensive agenda of the Members Meeting reflect EUROPSO’s dedication to advancing the cause of psoriatic disease advocacy.

“As we look back on our achievements and forward to the future, EUROPSO remains committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of those affected by psoriatic diseases. Here’s to another 35 years of making a difference,” said Koren after expressing gratitude to all the members, volunteers, and corporate partners for their continued support.

Highlights from the Members Meeting

  1. European Psoriasis Week 2024 Ideas were collected towards having a unified voice/message related to equal access to treatment. The goal is to link it somehow to comorbidities, making a causality case between psoriasis and three comorbidities that Healthier Together is focused on (CV, MH, and T2D). The aim is to collect evidence that interlinks these diseases and incorporate it into messaging.
  2. More than a scratch – EU initiative Considering the upcoming EU elections as a potential obstacle, the plan is to build a relationship with staff from permanent representation offices. Emphasis is on continuity and relationship building before moving forward, but also being able to move forward in the first place.
  3. The official launch of the website www.PSOdata.eu The website is now live and public, but not all features will be publicly available. Reports will be generated monthly and stored on the website.
  4. GPP Workshop The plenary discussion sparked ideas about how to initiate the Pilot project. Members discussed three options that could potentially bring patients and medical experts closer in GPP. The final approach and milestones will be defined in early spring 2024, with hopes to kick off the Pilot by the end of 2024.

Members Meeting Agenda

The Members Meeting on November 26th featured a comprehensive agenda, reflecting EUROPSO’s commitment to advancing its mission. The agenda included:

  • Registration and Gathering
  • President’s Speech on the 35th EUROPSO Anniversary and Future Plans (Jan Koren)
  • EU Initiative: Committee of Regions May Meeting and Further Steps Report (David Trigos)
  • Working Dinner with MEPs Update and EUROPSO’s Further Political Agenda (Jaime Melancia)
  • EUROPSO Projects 2024 (Jelena Misita)
  • EPW and WPD 2024 Campaigning (Tina Koukopoulou)
  • Plenary Discussion and Q&A (All Members)
  • Connecting Psoriasis Clinical Centres of Excellence with Patient Organisations for the Benefit of GPP Patients: 2nd Workshop in 2024 (Jelena Misita, David Trigos)
  • Presenting the Report from the 1st Workshop Held in April 2023
  • Choosing the Pilot Project Idea and Concept
  • Developing Immediate Next Steps
  • Defining Timetable and Milestones for the Pilot Project
  • Q&A and Wrap Up