30th Belgian Congress of Rheumatology
The Royal Belgian Society of Rheumatology takes great pleasure in announcing the 30th Belgian Congress of Rheumatology, taking place in Liège on 23-25 September 2026.
This year’s congress will take place at the Palais des Congrès de Liège.
Welcome!
Dear Colleagues,
The Royal Belgian Society for Rheumatology takes great pleasure in announcing the 30th Belgian Congress of Rheumatology, taking place in Liège on 23 -25 September 2026.
This year’s congress will take place at the Palais des Congrès de Liège, overlooking the river Meuse.
We hope to welcome many of you to Liège to celebrate the 30th edition of the congress and the 100th anniversary of the KBVR-SRBR!
Yours sincerely,
The local Organising Committee
Programme
10.00
Young Investigators’ Meeting
10.00
Selected Abstract Presentations
12.00
Welcome Lunch
12.45
Opening Ceremony
11.00
SESSION 1: Clinical Cases and Debates
Chairs: Ellen De Langhe (KUL) & Frédéric Houssiau (UCL)
13.00
Debate: Ultrasonography versus clinical assessment in steering treatment adapation in inflammatory arthritis? What have we
learned?
Clio Ribbens (ULiège) and Filip Van Den Bosch (Ugent)
13.30
Selected abstracts presentations
14.00
Checkpoint inhibition in cancer and joints: friend or foe?
Sandrine Aspeslagh (UZ Brussel)
11.00
14.30
Update in Therapeutics – Organised with an educational grant
from Boehringer ‘Fish bowl’ interactive discussion on the general management of progressive pulmonary fibrosis
Moderator: Vanessa Smith (UGent)
Participants: Antoine Froidure (UCL), Yves Piette (UGent, AZ SintJan Brugge), Ellen De Langhe (KUL), Ilse Hoffman (ZAS), Olivier Malaise (CHU de Liège)
15.00
Selected abstracts presentations
15.30
Coffee Break
11.00
SESSION 2: Ethics and Economy
Chairs: Chairs: Meilyn Bolland (CHR Citadelle Liège) & Olivier Kaye (CHR
Citadelle Liège)
16.00
Balancing between budget and optimal healthcare:
Opportunities and challenges
Wim Vervaet, Medaxes
16.30
Medical Artificial Intelligence: Ethical and societal challenges
Gaetan Letesson, Hôpital de la Citadelle Liège
17.00
Pollution, endocrine disruptors, and rheumatic diseases
Jérémie Sellam, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
17.30
Update from the Professional Association
Philip Remans, President BRV-AMRB
17.45
Update from ReumaNet/CLAIR and BeHPR
Kathleen Sohier (ReumaNet)
Cécile Gérardy (CLAIR)
Thanny Bries (BeHPR)
18.00
End of Day 1
Session 3. Spondyloarthritis
Moderator: Laure Tant (ULB) & Clio Ribbens (CHU Liège)
09.00
Update in Therapeutics – Organised with an educational grant from Alfasigma
Your diet matters: What have we learned from diet interventions
in medicine: Implications for rheumatology?
Joao Sabino (UZ Leuven)
09.30
Update in Therapeutics – Organised with an educational grant from UCB
Early remission induction in spondyloarthritis: What is new?
Philippe Carron (UGent)
10.00
Selected abstracts presentations
10.30
Sharing of the QR code to vote for KBVR/SRBR board members
10.35
Poster Viewing & Coffee Break
SESSION 4: Osteoarthritis
Chairs: Ruth Wittoek (UGent) & Olivier Malaise (CHU Liège)
11.15
11.45
Metabolic disease and rheumatic disease: GLP1 joins the dance
Francis Berenbaum, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
Healthy aging: Effect of exercise therapy on inflammation,
myokine response
Ivan Bautmans (VUB)
Update in Therapeutics – Organised with an educational grant from Lilly
12.15
General Assembly
12.45
Lunch Break
13.45
FWRO-FRSR Ceremony
SESSION 5: Interdisciplinary Session
Chairs: Alla Ishchenko (ZAS) & Dirk Elewaut (UGent)
14.30
Switching versus cycling of different mode of action
Gaëlle Varkas (UGent)
Update in Therapeutics – Organised with an educational grant from Abbvie
15.15
Update in Therapeutics – Organised with an educational grant from Novartis
Sjogren’s disease: Dry matters
Isabelle Peene (AZ Sint-Jan Brugge & UGent)
15.45
Economic crisis and healthcare policy
Koen Schoors (UGent)
16.15
Selected Abtract Presentations
16.45
Coffee break
SESSION 6: The Cutting Edge of Research
Chairs: Rik Lories (KUL) & Maxime Melchior (ULB)
17.15
Cell depletion strategies in rheumatology: Ready for daily clinical practice?
Georg Schett, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg,
Germany
17.45
19:00
Adjourn
Congress Dinner
WORKSHOPS
09.30 – 10.00
Workshop 1 – Organised with an educational grant from Alfasigma
Managing inflammatory rheumatic diseases in the elderly
Bhaskar Dasgupta, Spire Healthcare, Brentwood, UK
09.30 – 10.00
Workshop 2 – Organised with an educational grant from AstraZeneca
Tips and tricks of managing SLE in 2026
Frédéric Houssiau (UCL) and Ellen De Langhe (KUL)
09.30 – 10.00
Workshop 3 – Organised with an educational grant from Abbvie
Practical implications of AI in rheumatology care
Tom Braeckeleirs (UGent) and Ilse Hoffman (ZAS)
09.30 – 10.00
Workshop 4 – Organised with an educational grant from UCB
Bone clinical cases
Moderator: Olivier Malaise (CHU Liège)
Bruno Lapauw (UGent) and Thoma Funck-Brentano, Hôpitaux de Paris, France
10.00 – 10.15
Transfer time
10.15 – 10.45
Workshop 1 – Organised with an educational grant from Alfasigma
Managing inflammatory rheumatic diseases in the elderly
Bhaskar Dasgupta, Spire Healthcare, Brentwood, UK
10.15 – 10.45
Workshop 2 – Organised with an educational grant from AstraZeneca
Tips and tricks of managing SLE in 2026
Frédéric Houssiau (UCL) and Ellen De Langhe (KUL)
10.15 – 10.45
Workshop 3 – Organised with an educational grant from Abbvie
Practical implications of AI in rheumatology care
Tom Braeckeleirs (UGent) and Ilse Hoffman (ZAS)
10.15 – 10.45
Workshop 4 – Organised with an educational grant from UCB
Bone clinical cases
Moderator: Olivier Malaise (CHU Liège)
Bruno Lapauw (UGent) and Thoma Funck-Brentano, Hôpitaux de Paris, France
10.45
11.15
Coffee Break
KBVR-SRBR 100 year History Quiz
11.00
SESSION 7: Closing Session
Chairs: Gaëlle Varkas (UGent) & Jan Lenaerts (Reumainstituut
Hasselt, UZ Leuven)
11:30
Vasculitis: What is new?
Stephen Hall, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
12:00
Year in Review
Alla Ishchenko (ZAS) and Margot Van Mechelen (UZA)
12:30
The Thieves’ Market: Best Clinical Case Contest
13.15
Closure of the Congress
13.25
Farewell Lunch
13.30
BCR 2027 Scientific meeting (Scientif Committee only)
14.15
KBVR-SRBR Board meeting (Board members only)
PALAIS DES CONGRES
Esp. de l’Europe 2
4020 Liège
The Palais des Congrès de Liège is ideally situated along the banks of the Meuse river, just a 10 – 12 minutes’ walk from the Liège-Guillemins high-speed train station and within a 15-minute walk of most major city-centre hotels. It is also conveniently located only 2 minutes’ walk from the nearest bus station (Lüttich Palais des Congrès).
Hotel Accommodation
A limited number of hotel rooms have been booked at special group rates.
These rates only apply for reservations made through Medicongress.
You can reserve your hotel room through the online registration form.
Any requests for hotel accommodation must be accompanied by a valid credit card number, in order to secure the room.
Participants will have to pay their room and personal expenses at the reception of the hotel.
In case of late cancellation or no show, the room will be charged on the credit card.
| Hotel | Rates | Cancellation Policy |
|---|---|---|
 Van der Valk Hotel Liège Congrès****Esplanade de l'Europe 2, 4020 Liège | Standard Room: - Single: € 183,50 Breakfast & WiFi are included. City Tax of € 4/night is included. | Reservations may be cancelled free of charge up to and including 1 September. For cancellations received from 2 September onwards, 100% of the total stay will be charged. |
 ibis Styles Liège Guillemins*** Rue Des Guillemins 135, 4000 Liège Important note: book your room before 23 August, subject to availability | Standard Room: - Single: € 115,00 - Double or Twin: € 131,00 Breakfast & WiFi are included. City Tax of € 4/night is excluded. | Any cancellation must be made at least one week before arrival . If the cancellation is made after this deadline, the hotel will charge the full amount. |
Partners
Platinum Partners
Gold Partners
Silver Partners
BeHPR Partners
Registration
| Registration Fees | EARLY (until 31 Aug) | LATE (as of 1 Sept) |
|---|---|---|
| Member KBVR-SRBR | € 345,00 | € 460,00 |
| Non-Member | € 460,00 | € 575,00 |
| Trainee in Rheumatology* | € 60,00 | € 85,00 |
| Other Trainee* | € 85,00 | € 110,00 |
| Research non-MD* | € 60,00 | € 85,00 |
| Emeritus | € 60,00 | € 85,00 |
| Congress Dinner | € 90,00 | € 90,00 |
| Healthcare Professionals' Meeting on Thursday (24 Sept) | FREE | FREE |
* Registration as a trainee or researcher will only be accepted if accompanied by a copy of your student card or a certificate of your director (proof to be uploaded during the registration process). Without proof the non-member fee will be charged.
For group registrations please fill out this group template and email it to magali.eekhof@medicongress.com
The registration fee for BCR participants include:
- Participation in all scientific sessions
- Participation in the ‘Updates in Therapeutics’ organised by the Industry
- Programme and Abstracts
- Access to the exhibition
- Lunches and coffee breaks
- Walking Dinner on Wednesday
The free registration for Healthcare Professionals in the BeHPR meeting on Thursday includes
- Participation in all scientific sessions on Thursday 24 September
- Lunch and coffee breaks on Thursday 24 September
Confirmation
When your registration is completed successfully, you will receive an automatic confirmation. You can also print an invoice when you finalise your online registration.
Payment
All payments are to be made in EURO, net of all bank charges and commission for the receiver.
Payment is to be made by:
- Credit Card: Only VISA & MasterCard are accepted
- Bank Wire
Important Note: Payments are to be made to KON.BEL.VER.REUMATOLOGIE ASS.ROYALE BEL.RHUMATOLGIE VZW
IBAN: BE69 7350 2954 5578
Changes/Name Substitutions
You will receive a personal link in your final confirmation email. With this link it will be possible to make changes or transfer your registration to a colleague free of charge.
Cancellations
Participants canceling their registration before 1 September 2026, will receive a full refund, less administration costs (50 € for members and non-members and 25 € for trainees, researchers and emeriti). There will be no refunds for cancellations received after this date. Cancellations must be confirmed in writing to the Organising Secretariat. All refunds will be processed after the Congress.
Accreditation
Belgian accreditation has been requested.
Our terms and conditions
These terms and conditions apply to all payments/registrations made to KBVR/SRBR. By using the online payment facility on this website you implicitly accept these general terms and conditions.
By entering your credit card information:
You state that you are an authorized user of the credit card and that the associated information entered is accurate. You authorize Medicongress Services to charge the booked amount to your credit card.
Declined/ Refused payments:
We cannot accept liability if the payment is refused or declined by the credit/ debit card supplier (due to the customer quoting incorrect card details or other reasons).
Liability and Insurance
In registering for the 30th Belgian Congress on Rheumatology, participants agree that neither BCR 2026 nor the Organizing Secretariat assume any liability whatsoever. Participants should therefore organize their own health, travel and personal insurances.
Privacy Policy
MediCongress is committed to protecting your personal data. The privacy notice on our website outlines how we collect, share and use your personal data, and how you can exercise your privacy rights involving your data.
Force Majeure
The Organizers and co-Organizers of the Congress shall not be held responsible for any delay or failure in performance of its obligations hereunder to the extent such delay or failure is caused by fire, flood, strike, civil, governmental or military authority, acts of God, acts of terrorism, acts of war, epidemics, the un-availability of the venue or other similar causes beyond its reasonable control and without fault or negligence. For one or more of such reasons, the organizers and any co-organizers of the Congress may postpone, reschedule or cancel the event without liability on the part of organizers and co-organizers of the Congress. In the event the Congress cannot be held or is postponed pursuant to this section, the organizers and co-organizers of the Congress shall not be liable to attendee for any direct, consequential or incidental damages, costs, or losses incurred, such as transportation costs, accommodations costs, or financial losses.