WONCA Europe Newsletter
October 2025
Editor's Preface
We are excited to share with you the October edition of the WONCA Europe Newsletter.
This issue provides a comprehensive look at the activities of our Networks, and SIGs including: Highlights of the 101st EGPRN Meeting, EYFDM News and Opportunities! and IPCRG newsletter
As usual, our newsletter contains a summary of WONCA Europe (WE) Executive Board’s activities, featuring: Our monthly meeting report; WE and UEMO Meeting in WW Conference 2025 in Lisbon; The WE Statement on the Recognition of the Specialty of Family Medicine / General Practice in the European Region.
In addition, we conducted three fascinating interviews which we are thrilled to include in this month’s edition: WONCA Europe Scholarship 2025 winners: Dr. Deepthi Lavu and Dr. İkbal Hümay Arman; and WONCA Europe 5-Star Doctor 2025: Dr. Jana Bendova.
Furthermore, we strongly encourage you to read:
- “Statement on Alcohol and Cancer - Breast Cancer Awareness Month” by the European Alcohol Health Alliance of Medical Associations to Address Alcohol-Related Harm (EHAA), of which WONCA Europe is a participating member.
- The IARC Handbook for Cancer Prevention launch
Please do not miss the reports on:
- WE at the WHO Europe Non-State Actor Event 2025 “Shaping Health Futures Together: NSA Engagement for Second European Programme of Work, 2026–2030 – “United Action for Better Health” (EPW2) and Ageing is Living”
- WE at the WHO Europe Assembly 2025
Please keep updated visiting our web page and follow us on our X (@WoncaEurope), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky accounts.
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On behalf of WONCA Europe Executive Board, Ioanna Tsiligianni, President-elect |
President’s Corner
Dear WONCA Europe community,
As we enter the final quarter of the year, we reflect on a period of intense activity following the WONCA World Conference in September and throughout October.
The energy and commitment across our community have been truly inspiring. This includes the important work of our networks—such as the successful EGPRN conference in Plovdiv, Bulgaria—as well as WONCA Europe's engagement on the wider European stage.
We have been actively contributing to the European projects we are involved in, attending conferences of other associations, and making our voice heard on key policy matters. Notably, we issued statements and collaborated with other non-state actors to produce joint declarations for WHO/Europe’s 75th Regional Committee.
The work will continue completely, together with our members, until the end of the year. We look forward to fruitful discussions and meetings, and to an exciting new webinar scheduled for December 10th. You will find more details on this highly anticipated event in this newsletter.
I am personally grateful for the unwavering support of our Executive Board, particularly Immediate Past President Prof. Shlomo Vinker and our dedicated Secretary, Barbara Toplek. Their dedication is a driving force for all we achieve.
Despite the last weeks of autumn being quite busy for many of you, I sincerely hope you take some time to read our current newsletter. It offers vital updates on the actions and future plans of your professional home.
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Warm regards, Thomas Frese |
News
WONCA Europe 5-Star Doctor 2025: Dr. Jana Bendova on the Power of Communication and the Heart of Family MedicineWe are delighted to introduce Dr. Jana Bendova (Slovak Republic), one of the esteemed joint recipients of the WONCA Europe 5-Star Doctor Award 2025. This prestigious honour celebrates family doctors who embody the comprehensive roles of a care... |
Summary of the WONCA Europe Executive Board Meeting 06/10/2025The WONCA Europe new Executive Board held its first online meeting on October 6th, reviewing and approving the minutes from the September EB and Council meetings. Updates included recent international activities, preparations for... |
WONCA Europe Elevates Primary Care Voice with SIX Critical Statements at WHO/Europe's 75th Regional CommitteeWONCA Europe showcased its deep influence on regional health policy by co-signing an unprecedented six critical joint statements at the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC75), that took place in Copenhagen, Denmark –... |
WONCA Europe Takes Part in Key WHO/Europe Non-State Actor Event to Shape the Future of European HealthWONCA Europe proudly confirms its active participation in the critical World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) Non-State Actor (NSA) Event 2025, held on October 27, 2025, at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark. The... |
WONCA Europe Highlights Crucial Role of Primary Care in Implementing IARC's Alcohol-Cancer Prevention EvidenceWONCA Europe, is drawing attention to the profound implications of the recently launched IARC Handbook for Cancer Prevention Volume 20 on primary care practice across Europe. Volume 20 is split into two parts: Volume 20A:... |
IPCRG October 2025 newsletterTunis 2026: registration, abstract submission and scientific programme We are pleased to announce that registration and abstract... |
WONCA Europe Statement on the Recognition of the Specialty of Family Medicine / General Practice in the European RegionWONCA Europe is proud to announce the adoption of its Statement on the Recognition of the Specialty of Family Medicine / General Practice in the European Region, officially approved by the WONCA Europe Executive Board on 20 September 2025 during... |
EHAA Statement on Alcohol and Cancer - Breast Cancer Awareness MonthOn the occasion of the 2025 edition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA) - a group of 21 stakeholders that works to reduce the burden of alcohol-related harm across Europe - calls for... |
“Empowering the Next Generation of Family Physicians in a Changing Healthcare Landscape” Highlights of the 101st EGPRN MeetingThe 101st Meeting of the European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN) took place from 16–19 October 2025 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. #EGPRNPlovdiv. It was hosted by the Bulgarian General Practice Society for Research and Education (BGPSRE),... |
From UK Academic GP to Global Collaborator: Dr. Deepthi Lavu wins WONCA Europe Scholarship 2025The Whole Patient Journey: Dr. Deepthi Lavu on Family Medicine, Big Data, and International Inspiration “I hope to learn from best practices in European primary care settings and use that knowledge in the UK to improve... |
Meet Dr. İkbal Hümay Arman, WE Scholarship award 2025From Academic Research to Global Leadership: Türkiye's First Recipient Champions Preventive Health, Digital Integration, and the Future of Family Medicine “I applied to sustain high-impact academic growth, structured... |
WE at the 3rd International Scientific Conference on Primary Health Care (ISCPC 2025) – Ljubljana, SloveniaThe Community Health Centre Ljubljana and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana hosted the 3rd International Scientific Conference on Primary Health Care (ISCPC) on 2–3 October 2025 at the Grand Plaza Hotel in Ljubljana. Supported... |
EYFDM News and Opportunities! - October 2025CALL... |
Major Step Forward for Family Medicine in Europe: WE & UEMO Meet in Lisbon!Lisbon, 20 September 2025 — Representatives from WONCA Europe (WE), the WE Working Party on Policy Advocacy (WP PA), and the European Union of General Practitioners (UEMO) met to discuss continued progress towards... |
Upcoming Events
 67th EQuiP Assembly Meeting 21-22 November 2025, Utrecht, The Netherlands |
 Webinar: Reshaping obesity in primary care: evolving perspectives, practical approaches 10 December 2025, Virtual |
 10th EYFDM Forum 2026 30-31 January 2026, Tallinn, Estonia |
 2026 European Forum on Prevention and Primary Care 26-27 March 2026, Madrid, Spain |
 4th EURACT Medical Education Conference 23-25 April 2026, Iasi, Romania |
 102nd EGPRN Meeting 14-17 May 2026, Verona, Italy |
 68th EQuiP Conference 21-23 May 2026, Kraków, Poland |
 30th WONCA Europe Conference 30 June - 3 July 2026, Paris, France |
 35th Janko Kersnik International EURACT Bled Course 23-26 September 2026, Bled, Slovenia |
 15h EURIPA Rural Health Forum 1-3 October 2026, Cartagena, Spain |
You may send your events and news articles directly to our website by logging into your Wonca Europe account. Please send other materials, such as interesting stories and reflections, to SecretariatEurope@wonca.net for our upcoming editions. We ask you to send the newsletter to all your colleagues and to share it on your website / Facebook / Twitter homepage.