Hormone health climbs the policy agenda as endocrine leaders meet for European Society of Endocrinology’s first Summit of the Presidents
Hormone health climbs the policy agenda as endocrine leaders meet for European Society of Endocrinology’s first Summit of the Presidents
Date: 10 May 2026
Leaders of Europe’s endocrine organisations met at European Society of Endocrinology (ESE)’s first Summit of the Presidents to discuss future challenges and opportunities in endocrinology and agree steps to boost visibility of hormone health in national and European policy.
Over two half-days, the inaugural Summit of the Presidents brought together Presidents of ESE’s Council of Affiliated Societies (ECAS) and representatives from key endocrine organisations, including the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumours, the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE), the European Neuroendocrine Association and the European Union of Medical Specialists.
The high-level meeting took place on 8–9 May 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic, ahead of the European Congress for Endocrinology (ECE) 2026.
As part of ESE’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, the Summit provided a forum for Presidents to identify opportunities to work more closely together to increase the visibility and importance of endocrine health in policy and funding decisions at both European and national levels.
Programme
Participants received updates on three of ESE’s major initiatives, preceded by two keynote speakers:
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Professor Elizabeth Macintyre, former President of the Biomed Alliance, discussed the crucial role of medical societies in European health and research policymaking. She highlighted the often-untapped potential for experts to influence policy and urged participants to collaborate to make the case for endocrinology clearly and consistently at national and European levels, so policymakers better understand why the specialty matters and what it needs.
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Pavel Telička, former European Commissioner and Member of the European Parliament, offered a unique policymaker’s perspective to help the endocrine community identify opportunities to make an impact in public affairs.
The Endocrine Workforce of the Future
Early findings were reviewed from the landmark State of Endocrinology workforce survey, undertaken in 2025 to assess emerging trends and pressures facing the discipline. Initial results point to a workforce that is struggling to meet demand, with nearly a quarter of endocrinologists reporting new patient waiting times of more than 90 days. Retention is also a concern as 35.2% of early-career clinicians say they may leave their job in the next five years in search of a better work-life balance, income and job security.
Full results and recommendations will be published in due course.
EndoCompass Research Roadmap – Policy Priorities for Better Hormone Health in Europe
Participants endorsed a new policy paper calling for targeted action to deliver the EndoCompass Research Roadmap and called for endocrine science to be recognised as a strategic investment in Europe’s future health, social and economic resilience. This next phase of work builds on the EndoCompass Research Roadmap – Directions for the Future of Endocrine Science, which identifies where research investment would have the greatest impact.
Endocrine drug availability
Participants received an update on an initial analysis of drug supply across Europe, following concerns raised by the patient advocacy community about availability of and access to essential endocrine drugs. The survey was conducted in 2025 with national endocrine societies to assess the current situation regarding key endocrine drugs in their country. A report will be shared in the coming months.
Following calls for greater “scientific activism” made by Manuel Heitor, former Portuguese science minister and European policy expert, at the Joint Congress of ESE and ESPE in 2025, participants also took part in interactive sessions on effective strategies for policy outreach. National endocrine societies were identified as central to this effort, particularly in engaging with governments, research funders and wider stakeholders.
The Summit marks a step towards more coordinated advocacy within the endocrine community, with leaders committing to continue working together for shared policy priorities and improve outcomes for patients.
A summary report will be provided to participants to support their future advocacy efforts.
10/05/2026