EASL Congress 2025 – Alcohol Related Harm Sessions
EASL will mark a significant milestone in alcohol harm reduction and public health advocacy with a series of high-level activities on 7–8 May during EASL Congress 2025. The Opening Ceremony will feature influential voices including public health leaders from Spain and Estonia, and WHO Europe representatives, setting the tone for impactful dialogue on alcohol related harms. On the same day, the EASL Studio session “Beyond the Myths: Alcohol Harm and Policy Action” will bring together policymakers, healthcare professionals, patients, and media to address alcohol-related health challenges. The momentum continues on 8 May with the official launch of the European Alcohol Health Alliance, highlighting WHO’s Best Buys, policy implementation, and protecting youth—culminating in a powerful patient testimonial and expert panel discussion.
Finally, four training sessions on screening and brief interventions for alcohol problems will equip healthcare practitioners with essential skills to support patients in reducing their alcohol consumption.
In collaboration with:
Opening Ceremony
“From Evidence to action: Confronting Europe's Alcohol Challenge Together”
7 May, 10:30 - 11:30 CEST, De Groote Room
This high-level opening session sets the stage for EASL’s commitment to alcohol harm reduction. Leading voices from EASL, WHO Europe, and high-level public health officials will explore evidence-based policies to reduce alcohol-related harm, sharing diverse regional perspectives and policy approaches. The session will highlight the importance of multisectoral collaboration in shaping effective public health strategies.
David Barrett
Internal Communications and Multimedia Manager, WHO Regional Office for Europe
Aleksander Krag
EASL Secretary General
Pedro Gullon
Secretary General of Public Health and Equity, Ministry of Health of Spain
Riina Sikkut
Member of Estonian Parliament, former Minister of Health of Estonia
Carina Ferreira-Borges
Regional Adviser for Alcohol, Illicit drugs and Prison health, WHO Regional Office for Europe
EASL Studio
"Beyond the myths: alcohol harm and policy action"
7 May, 12:00 - 12:45 CEST
This interactive
Studio session will cut through common misconceptions about alcohol to address
its real-life health and societal impacts. Bringing together policymakers,
clinicians, and patients, the discussion will spotlight the urgency of action,
share personal stories, and explore what effective alcohol policy can—and
must—look like across Europe.
David Barrett
Internal Communications and Multimedia Manager, WHO Regional Office for Europe
Pedro Gullon
Secretary General of Public Health and Equity, Ministry of Health of Spain
Riina Sikkut
Member of Estonian Parliament, former Minister of Health of Estonia
Margarida Santos
General Practitioner Portugal
Hazel Martin
BBC Journalist and Liver Patient
Aleksander Krag
EASL Secretary General
Official launch of the European Alcohol Health Alliance
8 May, 15:00-16:00 CEST
This pivotal session marks the official launch of the European Alcohol Health Alliance. Grounded in WHO’s “Best Buys,” the session will feature expert presentations on policy implementation, youth protection, and strategic advocacy. A powerful patient testimonial and a multi-expert panel discussion will reinforce the urgent need for coordinated efforts in tackling alcohol-related harms across Europe.
CHAIR
Shira Zelber-Sagi
EASL Policy, Public Health & Advocacy Councillor
CHAIR
Catherine Paradis
Technical Officer for Alcohol, Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation, WHO Regional Office for Europe
Advancing Public Health Through WHO’s Best Buys: Lessons, Challenges, and the Urgent Case for an Alcohol Alliance
Catherine Paradis
Technical Officer for Alcohol, Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation, WHO Regional Office for Europe
Reducing Alcohol Harms: Improving Policy Implementation
Frank Murray
EASL Policy, Public Health & Advocacy Committee Member & Chair of Alcohol Action Ireland)
Protecting Children & Youth from Alcohol Related Harms
Ann de Guchtenaere
European Academy of Paediatrics
Interview: Patient Testimonial & Panorama Documentary: Binge Drinking and Me
Hazel Martin
BBC Journalist and Liver Patient
Panel Discussion
Frank Murray
EASL Policy, Public Health & Advocacy Committee Member & Chair of Alcohol Action Ireland)
Ann de Guchtenaere
European Academy of Paediatrics
Carina Ferreira-Borges
Regional Advisor, Unit Head Alcohol, Illicit Drugs and Prison Health, WHO Europe
WHO-EASL Training Session: helping any patient to drink less alcohol
Room: Skills Learning Centre 4 Thursday, 8 May - 12:30 - 13:30 & 16:15-17:15 CEST Friday, 9 May - 12:30 - 13:30 & 16:30 - 17:15 CEST
Session type: Skills Learning Centre - Session facilitated by WHO
A large proportion of the population drink at hazardous levels but are unaware of it. They are often missed by health professionals in their routine encounters. Screening and Brief Interventions (SBI) for alcohol offer an evidence-based structured framework for assessing different levels of risk associated with alcohol consumption through a screening tool (AUDIT and its brief version, the AUDIT-C), developed and validated by WHO.
This training session will present how alcohol affects many areas of health, attitudes towards drinking, communication skills and a decision tree for clinical action, including the 5 As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange).
