20th World Congress of EAPC

13. – 16. May 2026

We are pleased to announce that the 20th World Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) will take place from 13 to 16 May 2026 in Prague. This major international event will welcome over 3,000 participants from around the globe and will provide a platform for sharing the latest insights, research, and experiences in the field of palliative care.

The EAPC Congress is a global forum for interdisciplinary education, research, and professional exchange. It brings together a wide range of professionals, including physicians, nurses, researchers, social care workers, academics, educators, and volunteers.

Save the dates 13 to 16 May 2026 in your calendars. More detailed information about the programme, registration, and other aspects of the congress will be available soon. Stay tuned to our website for the latest updates.

It has been 12 years since the EAPC Congress in Prague.

What has changed in palliative care in the Czech Republic since then?

Capacity development
  • Development of home hospice care: 11 → 55 teams
  • Development of hospital-based palliative care: 0 → 50 teams
  • Development of palliative care in social services: Specialized outpatient clinics: 0 → 79
  • Inpatient hospices: partial regional coverage → national network 13-19
  • Development of perinatal and pediatric palliative care
Education and professionalism
  • Systematic teaching of palliative medicine at all medical faculties
    Undergraduate palliative care education at 8 existing medical faculties
    2013... 1 (12%)
    2025... 7 (88%)
  • Specialist journal Palliative Medicine
  • Development of leadership and mentoring programs in palliative care
  • Collaboration with international institutions
  • Board-certified PC physicians: 40 → 204
  • Nurse as an independent professional in the PM outpatient clinic from 2025
  • Chaplains and psychologists as a regular part of teams
Philanthropic support
  • Support from foundations and private donors. Cooperation with philanthropists - support for education, general palliative care, pediatric palliative care, innovative projects
  • Philanthropic support for undergraduate education in palliative care
  • Vlcek Family Foundation with a commitment to invest 1.5 billion CZK in the development of pediatric palliative care
  • National strategy formulation - ongoing project of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic
  • Emphasis on the development of pediatric and perinatal palliative care
  • Professional medical societies - implementation of education in the curricula of other specialties
  • Partnership with the association of social service providers
System and strategy
  • National strategy for the development of palliative care
  • Concept of care for children with life-limiting illnesses