Welcome to the XXXVII Pan-American
Congress of Gastroenterology

Dear colleagues and friends in the world of gastroenterology and related specialities:

The Pan-American Organization of Gastroenterology (OPGE) is proud to announce the XXXVII Pan-American Congress of Gastroenterology, to take place from July 14-16^th, 2021. This event will be held in conjunction with the XX Uruguayan Congress of Gastroenterology and the X Uruguayan Congress of Digestive Endoscopy, organized by the Uruguayan Society of Gastroenterology (SGU) and the Uruguayan Society of Digestive Endoscopy (SUED), respectively.

Given the unprecedented global emergency posed by COVID-19, OPGE has also taken the precautionary measure of holding the entirety of the meeting in a virtual, state-of-the-art format. This measure ensures the safety of all of our participants, while preserving the scientific quality of our meeting.

This virtual format, coupled with the outstanding participating worldwide faculty, will offer participants a comprehensive and up-to-date educational program. Moreover, the virtual format will ensure its accessibility and broad dissemination. We believe this warranted measure turns the pandemic into an opportunity to remove all the barriers posed by in-person events.

The XXXVII Pan American Congress of Gastroenterology, which gathers the 22 member organizations of OPGE,  will be accompanied by some of the world´s leading Organizations in the speciality, such as the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO), the United European Gastroenterology (UEG), the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA), the Spanish Society of Digestive Pathology (SEPD), the Spanish Association of Gastroenterology (AEG), the Latin American Association for the Study of the  Liver (ALEH), the Pan American Crohn´s and Colitis Organization (PANCCO), the Spanish Scientific Society for the Study and Research of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (GETECCU), the Rome Foundation (RF),  the Latin American Society of Neuro-Gastroenterology (SLNG), and the Uruguayan Association of Nursing in Digestive Endoscopy (AUEED), among others.

In the three days of the meeting, we will discuss the most current topics in relation to digestive diseases, with the added relevant topics pertaining to COVID-19. These include:

• Functional digestive disorders
• Comprehensive management of gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Role of the microbiome in disease and therapy
• Gluten-related disorders
• Multidisciplinary approaches to pancreatobiliary pathology
• Current and future challenges in inflammatory bowel diseases
• Genetics and digestive disease
• Colorectal cancer: from screening to treatment
• Helicobacter pylori in Latin America
• Liver diseases: from the general to specific
• Digestive endoscopy in the SARS COV-2 era
• Nutrition and physical activity during the pandemic
• McMaster University Francombe Institute symposium: “Diet and gut microbiome in intestinal disease”
• Advanced diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy
• Competence in endoscopy: “’to do” is not necessarily “to know”
• Tips and tricks in the endoscopic management of biliary pathology
• “Nursing in digestive endoscopy” course
• Quality in the early diagnosis and treatment of upper GI cancer
• GI bleeding
• Young gastroenterologists and endoscopists course
• Clinical research symposium

For these reasons, we expect a significant participation throughout the Americas from gastroenterologists, endoscopists, surgeons, nutritionists, internists, nurses, trainees, and professionals of all the related disciplines.

We look forward to sharing this event with you, side by side with OPGE, SGU and SUED, in a fruitful meeting for all of us!