European Polio Union Annual General Meeting 2025

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2025

MAY 29 – JUNE 1, 2025

HOTEL RICE REYES CATÓLICOS, BURGOS – UNIVERSITY OF BURGOS, SPAIN

THE WHOLE EVENT AGENDA

May 30

9 – 16:30 University of Burgos, Faculty of Health Sciences, Paseo de los Comendadores, s/n (Military Hospital)

• Conference at the Polio Chair of the University of Burgos (Cátedra para el Estudio de los Afectados de la Polio y Síndrome Postpolio)

9 - 9:30 Registration and official opening

9:30 - 11:00 Conference – Part I (María-Isabel Porras-Gallo / María-Victoria Caballero. Different Strategies of Vaccination against Poliomyelitis in the European Region of the World Health Organization-José Tuells: The History and Challenges of Polio in Spain)

11:00 - 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 - 13:00 Conference – Part II

• IVIg for post polio
  Summary: Following the recent press release by Grifols, this talk will give an overview on the published research on the use of intravenous immunoglobulin in the management of post polio. – Frances Quinn, British Polio Fellowship, EPU Board Director
• To vaccinate or not to vaccinate?
  Summary: Over the past few years, there has been a growing shift from mandatory to voluntary polio vaccination, along with efforts to remove specific poliovirus strains from the vaccine. The question is: can we afford the potential consequences? – Michal Haindl, Asociace polio, Czechia, EPU Board Director
• Access to hydrotherapy for polio survivors in the UK
  summary: The British Polio Fellowship surveyed its members experience with hydrotherapy from first rehabilitation to the present day to understand its benefits and current issues in access – Frances Quinn, BPF

13:00 - 14:30 Welcome lunch at the cafeteria of the University of Burgos

14:30 - 15:15 Discussion on the Future of the EPU

1. European Polio Union: what vision and strategy for the future?
   Summary: We, polio survivors and our associations, face numerous, critical and often common challenges. We are convinced that it is now the proper time to refresh our strategy in Europe. A collaborative process will be proposed to start building it together on the basis of our national members' visions for the future. – Pierre Parrot, Polio France, EPU Board Director
2. EPU Future Funding: real options in the context of the European Union, European support schemes and European patients associations – Macrina Clancy, Polio Survivors Ireland, EPU Board Director

15:15 - 16:30 Meeting with the Polio Chair staff and students, discussion on possible cooperation between EPU, member organisations and the Polio Chair

20:00 Official dinner

May 31

9:30 - 11:00 EPU Annual General Meeting

11:30 - 12:30 Summary and conclusions of the discussion on the future of the EPU

14:00 Lunch

15:00 Guided tour of the Burgos Cathedral

June 1 - 2

• Departures