Dear members of EGPRN, Dear friends,

 

In this extraordinary time when the world fights against the New Corona virus pandemic it seems that research projects have stopped or slowed down because of needs for clinical work. Many of you, who are full time researchers, went back to the practice to help, to do the job you feel has to be done. At the same time a whole new research area appeared associated with New Corona virus and like never before there is a huge need for research to guide clinical work and organization of health care.

 

EGPRN as a European network of researchers gets invitations and requests to help in some research projects on Corona epidemics even if we are not included in the project. For some of those we are going to ask you for your participation, but it is up to you to decide and these are not “EGPRN projects”. Some of our members are planning international research on the COVID-19 pandemic and plan to include EGPRN.

 

The Executive Board of EGPRN is constantly working, keeping in contact with e-mails and Skype meetings with each other as we had to take some important and difficult decisions about our future meetings. Even when we are considering the options still, it is probable that the Gothenburg meeting, originally scheduled in May 2020, will be postponed to May 2021. It is still not clear how the October EGPRN meeting in Istanbul will be conducted, but it will be organized classically or as a virtual congress, or as a mixed option. Our network will live on, although, as everything else in our lives, at the moment in different forms and performances.

 

We also plan to organize a video Council meeting in May of this year. Mine Kaya Bezgin from our office will be in touch with you about the timing and other details. Your participation and suggestions for the future are of great value to plan our work and activities that will be of biggest help to research community.

 

Stay healthy and keep safe,

 

Davorina Petek, Chairwoman

Thomas Frese, Honorary Secretary & WONCA Liaison

Tiny van Merode, Vice Chairwoman & Honorary Treasurer

Shlomo Vinker, Chair Educational Committee

Claire Collins, Chair Research Strategy Committee

Pemra Cobek Unalan, Board Member & Educational Committee

Jean Yves Le Reste, Board Member & Research Strategy Committee

Ana Luisa Neves, Chair PR & Communication Committee