The general objective of this collaborative project (EPIC PANACEA) is to identify and describe the determinants of weight and weight changes and to develop specific recommendations and guidelines for the prevention of Obesity in Europe.
The specific objectives of the EPIC PANACEA project are to:
1) Describe cross-sectionaly, for men and women, in three age groups, for (Northern, Central, and Southern) European regions, the association between current weight and:
a) Physical Activity
b) Nutritional habits
c) Cessation of Smoking
d) Alcohol drinking and
e) Meals eating out of home.
2) Study, using follow-up data, the determinants of stable weight and weight changes in relation to all of the above;
3) Study the interrelations between the determinants of obesity and assess the quantitative contribution of each of them specifically.

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The Conference is fully in line with the areas singled out in the Commission Communication on a European initiative on Alzheimer`s disease for greater EU collaboration, namely 1. Acting early to diagnose dementia, 2. A shared European effort in research, 3. National solidarity and exchange of best care practices, 4. Respecting the rights of people with dementia.

In addition, the Conference supports key aspects of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing in the fields of Integrated care, Prevention, Age friendly society and Innovative solutions.

In order to support the actions outlined above, the 24th AE Conference will focus on and organise an exchange of information, experiences, projects and best practices in the following areas:
1. Rights (rights and responsibilities, proxy decision making, consent and advance directives, ethical issues), 2. Policy (dementia strategies, post diagnostic support, socio-economic cost of dementia, prevention), 3. People with dementia (involving people with dementia, peer support groups, dementia friendly communities, perceptions and image of dementia), 4. Care (home care, residential care, hospital care, palliative care).

In all areas, AE will identify keynote speakers to provide state of the art presentations on the current knowledge and understanding, whilst inviting presenters to submit abstracts on ongoing and recently finalised research, projects and experiences.

In addition, AE will collaborate with EU funded initiatives to share the progress and results of research initiatives of programmes and projects like the Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, the Joint Action (ALCOVE-Alzheimer COoperation and Valuation in Europe), projects supported under the FP7 and AAL Programmes and by the Innovative Medicines Initiative.
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In line with the Community action in the field of health (2008-1013), the conference will create an opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of chronic diseases on the labour market and the social security and exchange and improve knowledge and cooperation of all stakeholders about the possibilities to retain workers with a chronic disease, or facilitate their return-to-work (RTW).

The conference will contribute to a wider dissemination of good practices on job retention/early intervention/return-to-work workplace health strategies and interventions. It will present state-of-the-art research findings and present guidelines as a guidance to set up comprehensive workplace health strategies and interventions for the retention/return-to-work of chronically ill employees.

Furthermore it will discuss the role of the policymakers, and all other stakeholders from the public health and workplace health field.


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The overarching goal of the conference is – to increase capacity for development and implementation of effective addiction prevention strategies in relation with HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support throughout EU and Candidate Countries by scaling up clinical, public health and social sciences research and best practice.

To achieve this goal, the general objectives can be formulated as follows:
O1. To share and disseminate the best practices in preventing drug-related blood-borne infectious diseases, in particular HIV and hepatitis (B/C), among injecting drug users and HIV infection resulting from high risk sexual behaviour among both injecting and non-injecting drug users.
O2. To share and disseminate best and emerging practices for providing care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and vulnerable groups (with particular emphasis on IDUs, incarcerated and released prisoners).
O3. To scale up and disseminate the clinical, public health and social sciences research related with addiction and drug-related blood-borne infectious diseases.
O4. To address how to enhance the development and implementation of addiction and drug-related infectious disease prevention in Europe, formulating recommendations, guidelines and initiatives for strengthening this capacity.
O5. To mobilize comprehensive and broader civil society (youth organizations, NGOs, PLHWA) and community actions in order to fight stigma and discrimination as key approach in HIV/AIDS prevention and care.
O6. To enhance skills and knowledge of addiction and HIV/AIDS prevention professionals in counselling, primary, secondary prevention, and early intervention strategy implementation.

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