This Wednesday, the ECTRIMS Annual Congress kicks off at the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB), managed by Fira de Barcelona. It is the most important international congress dedicated to the research and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). From September 24 to 26, more than 9,000 professionals from over 100 countries will gather in Barcelona to exchange knowledge, present the latest advances, promote research, and foster international collaboration. In addition, the congress aims to improve patient care, with a special day designed to bring the latest developments directly to people living with MS.
Organized by the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), the congress will feature a dual event: the 41st edition of ECTRIMS and the 30th Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Conference (RIMS). Over the three days, delegates will benefit from a scientific program that includes more than 2,500 abstracts, 223 international speakers, and a wide range of plenary sessions, lectures, practical workshops, and expert meetings.
This year’s congress will focus on four main areas: Clinical, Pathogenesis, Imaging and Non-Imaging Biological Markers, and Therapy. Within these areas, attendees will explore topics such as cognitive function in MS, cellular trafficking and immune cells in the central nervous system, and new monoclonal antibodies and CAR-T therapies, among many other innovations.
The ECTRIMS organizing committee brings together renowned national and international specialists who provide a unique perspective on MS research and treatment. Dr. Xavier Montalban and Dr. Mar Tintoré, local chairs of the congress, highlight two of this year’s main challenges: “slowing disease progression” and providing “increasingly personalized therapies.” They also stress that the congress showcases “the excellence of biomedical MS research carried out in Barcelona, consolidating the city as an international reference in this field.”
Patient Community Day
Another key highlight will be Patient Community Day, held on September 26 to coincide with the closing day, and aimed at people affected by MS. Its goal is to present the latest research and treatment updates in an accessible and participatory way.
The program will include two sessions with international specialists: the first dedicated to advances in diagnosis, treatments, and rehabilitation, as well as the key role of nursing in patient care; and the second presenting the latest research in fields such as genetics, memory, artificial intelligence, and vaccines. There will also be networking and discussion spaces, a panel featuring first-person testimonials, and a live online Q&A session with experts. The program has been developed in collaboration with patient associations and incorporates feedback from the previous edition to better address the community’s needs and interests.
Final medical congresses of the year
Following the recent success of the CIRSE Congress, which last week brought together more than 6,000 interventional radiology specialists, ECTRIMS will become the medical congress with the highest daily attendance hosted at CCIB this year. To close a 2025 full of major medical gatherings, the venue at the Fòrum will also welcome upcoming key events such as the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Congress, the World Stroke Congress (WSC), and the Annual Congress of the Spanish Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration (SEPA).
