EEC 2019

Dear colleagues,

It is a great honour for us to welcome you in the Prague, capital city of the Czech Republic. Endometriosis is not only a disease but also a condition that is – to a large degree – a reflection of our society and that significantly affects our social structures and economy. Just a decade ago, few people would have predicted the current turbulent changes, the rise in the incidence of the disease or the deepening of our knowledge in the field. Although there is still a lot of work ahead of us, we strongly believe that we will find a solution to this problem one day. Hopefully, our congress will contribute to these efforts.

Now, let me go back a couple of years to the very beginning, to our meeting in Weissensee. This was the cornerstone of systemic research of endometriosis, clearly defined surgical methods, the scoring system and complementary treatment, which form an inseparable part of our present endeavour. Professors Keckstein and Schweppe and other colleagues were the first pioneers and we now continue to build on their success. We have seen the fruits of our work, making significant progress in the treatment of this disabling disease and establishing new certified centres numbers of which are growing also in the Czech Republic. We have found a common medical language, which allows us to communicate with each other and make borders disappear. That is something unique in the current social situation in Europe, something we can rightfully pride ourselves on.

We must continue in our efforts even though it is not always a rosy path. We have become aware of the limits of surgical interventions, there is no conservative treatment available up to date that would mean remission without adverse effects. We know we need a more holistic approach and there is without any doubt a complementary treatment in any form is absolutely necessary.

This will also be the spirit of our meeting in Prague. The motto of the congress is individualised treatment. It will give us a chance to share our expertise on our path to a common goal.

Distinguished colleagues, dear guests, we hope that the congress will be an exciting scientific event as well as an opportunity to build new relationships and engage in friendly discussions. We also hope that you will take away only pleasant memories of our beautiful city of Prague with you.

Radek Chvátal

President of Congress

Jan Drahoňovský

Vicepresident of Congress