Dear EULAR Congress 2011 Participants:

EULAR welcomes you to this preview of some of the highlights that you can expect when you attend the annual European Congress of Rheumatology in London from 25-28 May 2011. The sessions promise to deliver reports of break-through research in the realms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, vasculitis, and lupus as well as refinements in the use of imaging on the diagnosis and management of these conditions. Sessions will deliver content geared specifically to health professionals in rheumatology while others will present findings from research on issues of importance to people with rheumatic diseases. For the first time, the Congress will offer sessions directed at primary care providers, in recognition that the burgeoning number of people with a rheumatic disease far outstrips the numbers of trained rheumatologists. As a result, primary care physicians are and will continue to care for rheumatic diseases in their practices. In another first, Congress attendees will have access to cutting edge global positioning technology for their smart phones that will enable them to navigate the ExCeL.

The annual EULAR congresses, which began in 2000, are now a major event in the calendar of world rheumatology. [...]