The inaugural meeting of the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) will take place in Paris (France) August 29th to September 1st 2001 at the Palais des Congrès. This will be also the second transatlantic meeting, after the success of the first organizational one held in Paris in 1999, at which several geriatricians from the United States and Canada were participants. Once again, North American physicians will be invited to participate.

The major themes of the congress will be Ageing, Nutrition, Health Promotion, and Prevention of Disability. Major sessions on Cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, Metabolic medicine, Geriatric Pharmacology, as well as other conditions such as Stroke and Diabetes are planned. In addition, over 300 poster sessions will be presented; the deadline to submit posters is April 30th 2001.

More than 1,200 delegates are expected to attend, with the majority being consultant geriatricians and other specialists, providing a unique opportunity for scientifical discussions among the different practices of European Geriatric Medicine.

How the EUGMS began: A group of geriatricians delegated by the different National Geriatric Societies of the countries belonging to the European Union met at the end of 1999 and decided to launch the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society.

The principal aims of the EUGMS are:

-- Continuing Professional Development for Specialists in Geriatric Medicine
-- Production of guidelines in the specialty
-- Task forces
-- Promotion of clinical research in Geriatric Medicine
-- Promotion of education and training in Geriatric Medicine
-- Facilitation of International meetings in Geriatric Medicine

Membership in the EUGMS is open to individual specialists in the field and physician members of European National Societies of Geriatric Medicine, the European Academy of the Yuste Foundation, Geriatric Medicine Section of the European Union of Medical Specialists, European Region of the International Association of Gerontology, European Academy of Medicine of Ageing, and Gerontological Economical Research Organisation.

To learn more, visitwww.eugms.org