From Lille to the next steps: reflections from the 22nd EuGMS Congress

Thanks to an Inclusiveness Target Countries Conference Grant from COST Action PROGRAMMING (CA21122), I had the opportunity to attend the 22nd Congress of the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS), held in Lille, France, from 16–18 September 2026. The grant enabled me to attend the full three-day congress and participate fully in its scientific and networking activities.

Age and new vaccines: benefits and risks

I was invited to contribute to the session “Is it ever too late?: what’s the current evidence on Health Promotion in the oldest old?” with an oral presentation entitled “Age and new vaccines: benefits and risks.”

The central message was clear: it is never too late to vaccinate. In the oldest old, vaccination should be considered not only in terms of preventing infection, but also as a strategy to preserve functional autonomy and reduce the consequences of infectious diseases.

I discussed recent evidence on COVID-19 and RSV vaccination, including the potential of newer vaccine platforms to address some of the challenges associated with immunosenescence. I also explored the future of norovirus vaccination, including the challenge of immune imprinting and the ability of very old adults to develop meaningful immune responses to new vaccine candidates. Finally, I highlighted the importance of implementation: shared decision-making, addressing comorbidities and concerns, and making vaccination easier through safe co-administration strategies.

Learning, sharing and connecting

Beyond the scientific programme, one of the most valuable aspects of the congress was the opportunity to learn from colleagues working across different European healthcare systems and exchange perspectives on how we can strengthen geriatric medicine.

For me, COST Action PROGRAMMING was at the heart of this experience. The congress provided an important opportunity to meet fellow Action members face-to-face, share experiences from our different working groups, and discuss the final stage of an Action dedicated to bridging gaps in geriatric medicine education across Europe, particularly in countries where the specialty is still emerging.

These exchanges reinforced the value of European collaboration: different healthcare systems may face different challenges, but many of the educational, organisational and clinical gaps in geriatric medicine are shared. Bringing together people with different experiences creates opportunities not only to exchange knowledge, but also to develop new collaborations and ideas.

I return from Lille with new knowledge, new connections and renewed motivation to continue working towards stronger, more accessible and more integrated geriatric care.

Fostering Geriatrics across Europe is not only about sharing knowledge. It is about building the relationships and networks that allow that knowledge to become meaningful change.