First European Influenza Summit

First European Influenza Summit

Brussels, 26 May 2011

Invitation to attend

Dear Influenza Stakeholder,

European health care systems are among the best in the world. Yet, in Europe, the influenza disease still claims more lives than traffic accidents, especially among the elderly and patients with chronic disease like asthma, COPD, diabetes, heart disease…

Influenza, however, is a preventable disease and the protection of the ‘risk groups'against influenza can and must be improved. Indeed, influenza deaths are avoidable and therefore every influenza victim is one too many.

In several European countries, national or regional organizations of healthcare providers and at-risk patients have set up successful projects to raise patients'awareness and to improve their protection against influenza. In the aim to lower the impact of influenza on the European population, the first European Influenza Summit will bring together these initiatives in a one-day meeting. At the same time, the Summit will provide an informal platform to discuss ways to expand these efforts, to exchange good practices and to initiate concrete actions.

Since you occupy a leading position in an organization of at-risk patients or healthcare professionals, you are kindly invited to attend the first European Influenza Summit, organized in Brussels on 26 May 2011.

Please note that the First European Flu Summit is a closed meeting, only accessible for invitees. Registration and attendance is free of charge.

Please visit www.flusummit.org for a preliminary programme and other information about the meeting. Kindly note that online registration is required.

The first European Influenza Summit is organized by the European Scientific Working group on Influenza (ESWI), a partnership of stakeholders who aim to reduce the number of influenza victims in Europe.

Looking forward to meeting you on 26 May 2011 in Brussels.

Prof. Dr. Ab Osterhaus

ESWI chairman