Welcome to 60th ERA Congress

Dear colleagues and friends,

As many of you may remember, the 2020 Congress was supposed to be held in Milan (Italy), but due to the difficulties and the lockdown caused by Covid 19, we were forced to hold the Congress virtually.

Now, after three years, we are very happy to be able to welcome all of you face-to-face in Milan.

The ERA Annual Congress aims at sharing knowledge to further improve the prevention and quality of life of patients by providing an update on the clinical assessment and treatment of kidney diseases.

This year’s theme, Research, Education, Governance and Equality, was chosen by Francesca Mallamaci, Chair of the Scientific Committee.

Research: is the basis of our lives, new therapies and the confirmation of old ones will not only support the cure of kidney disease but will also improve the quality of life of kidney patients.

Education: we are looking into the future. Healthcare professionals want to be prepared to provide high-quality, evidence-based care, adapt to new technologies and contribute to ongoing advances in medical practice and research.

Governance and equity are two interrelated concepts that play a crucial role in shaping societies and ensuring fair and equitable systems. Health equity focuses on ensuring that everyone has equal access to health services and that health outcomes are not determined by factors such as gender, race, income, or social status. It includes addressing health disparities and promoting health equity.

As in the past, the first day of the Milan 2023 Congress will feature educational sessions organised by the CME (Continuing Medical Education) Committee, chaired by Marianne Verhaar, as well as hands-on courses, overseen by Kate Stevens. This year, the CME Committee has planned four hands-on courses and eight CME courses lasting from half a day to a full day.

The Scientific Committee, chaired by Francesca Mallamaci, worked very hard to provide the best programme by selecting international experts and well-known KoLs (Key opinion Leaders). She was in particular supported by Ronald Gansevoort, who chaired the paper selection committee, and by the Congress President, Piergiorgio Messa, and the Honorary Congress President, Loreto Gesualdo.

A large number of high-quality abstracts, received from 86 countries, confirms the strong interest in our Congress, furthermore, we received a record number of Late Breaking Clinical Trial (LBCT) abstracts that resulted in presenting two sessions of LBCT, for a total of eight large randomised clinical trials, clearly indicating that clinical research in kidney disease is growing.

A novelty introduced from the 60th ERA Congress is the simplification and harmonization of the number and content of Congress tracks and abstract categories, from 18 main categories and 38 subcategories to 7 main categories (the same as the Congress themes), we will also have two new sessions on clinical practice.

The programme will also include a new session to replace the standard Poster session: the Focussed Orals. All accepted abstracts will be discussed orally in dedicated rooms located within the exhibition area. No more paper posters for a more sustainable congress and more space for discussion.

An additional and new educational opportunity that you can take advantage of are the Creative Labs, a frontal lesson that will give you in-depth knowledge into specific practical topics. Experts will give you important and up-to-date information on the checklist for setting up a clinical trial, ethics in publishing, how to ruin your presentation and balancing parenthood and career.

Finally, the programme will be completed with several interesting industry symposia.

The Milan 2023 Congress will also be an opportunity to celebrate how much history and dedication have shaped our Association in its 60-year commitment to reducing the burden of chronic kidney disease. It’s great to be celebrating such a milestone and we hope that the Congress will be a successful and enlightening event for all those who attend.

We look forward to welcoming you to the 60th ERA Congress!