Dear colleagues
The COVID-19 health crisis is a major challenge for the scientific community and for European healthcare systems. I am sure that many of you are finding your academic and clinical duties affected by the virus, and indeed many of you may even be brought directly into managing patients affected by the virus. It is a challenge that will test us immensely, and it remains to be seen how this will look after the warmer months.
The European Pain Federation EFIC, like all organizations working in Europe, is affected by the crisis. Due to social distancing measures in Belgium, our Executive Office is working remotely and at partial capacity. Our volunteers, hard-working clinicians, and researchers from across Europe are going to be difficult to reach over the coming weeks, and therefore we expect a slowdown of some activities.
- We have postponed our April 2020 exam sitting for the European Diplomas in Pain Medicine (EDPP) and Pain Physiotherapy (EDPP). We will be seeking a replacement date in September 2020 and will confirm this as soon as possible. All those who registered for April will be contacted when the new date is confirmed.
- All meeting engagements between now and 1 June are likely to be reorganized, and any meetings after 1 June will be reassessed closer to the time.
EFIC does not hold a scientific congress this year, and therefore we are not disrupted as heavily as many other organisations. We hope that the disruption caused to our partner organisations and to our national chapters is limited and temporary. The income from scientific meetings is a key resource of our organisations, and therefore I hope that our Federation of pain societies can weather this storm and continue to serve the pain scientific community and pain patients for years to come.
We will remain in contact through this period and will continue to work hard behind the scenes. I wish you and your loved ones good health and hope that you remain safe over the coming weeks.
Yours
Professor Bart Morlion
President, European Pain Federation EFIC
