About EAGEN

HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY

The European Association for Gastroenterology, Endoscopy and Nutrition (EAGEN) was founded in 1970 by Professor Hiroshi Oshima, a surgeon from the Nippon-Ika-University in Tokyo, Japan. He introduced the gastrocamera technique, which was successfully used in Japan on a large number of patients and allowed early recognition of carcinoma of the stomach. This technique was the focus of interest in the early 1970s. The original name of the Society was ´European Society for Gastrocamera Diagnosis´. Annual meetings followed and abstracts were published in ´Aktuelle Gastroenterologie´. 

In 1972, Professor G. Nava of Rome became the new President and he was followed by Professor H. Reissigl of Innsbruck. In addition to the annual conference, postgraduate courses were held in several countries. The Society published a number of monographs, particularly on stomach cancer. In 1979, the Society changed its name to `European Society for Gastrocamera Diagnosis and Endoscopy´. In 1980, Professor Y. van Maercke of Antwerp became President and was followed by Professor K. E. Hampel of Berlin. The 18th annual congress was held in Berlin and attracted more than 1000 participants. Topics expanded during the yearly events and in postgraduate courses to include endoscopy covering the whole spectrum of gastroenterology. Consequently, the society was renamed the ´European Association for Gastroenterology and Endoscopy´ (EAGE). After Professor G. Bianchi-Porro organized the annual society event in Milan and Sirmione, the membership of the society grew to around 500 by 1990. Professor G. J. Krejs of Graz, Austria, hosted two annual meetings in 1989 & 1990 in Graz & in Vienna under the name ´European Digestive Disease Week´ (EDDW). This event was the first European multi-society meeting in gastroenterology. It was created by the EAGE as the European counterpart to Digestive Disease Week by the American Gastroenterological Association.

The second EDDW was organized by Professor G. N. J. Tytgat in Amsterdam (1991) attracting over 2000 participants. With these two conferences (1990 & 1991) the EAGE had built the foundation of the United European Gastroenterology Week (UEGW). The UEGW was initially organized by the EAGE and six other European sister societies pertaining to gastroenterology, hepatology and endoscopy [Association des Sociétes Nationales Européenes et Méditérranéenes de Gastroénterologie, Collegium Internationale Chirurgiae Digestivae (European Chapter), European Association for the Study of Liver, European Pancreatic Club, European Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.]

Since 1992, when EAGE handed over its annual congress to allow for a joined UEGW, the EAGE has played a leading role in education in gastroenterology as part of the UEGW and throughout the year. In recognition of the important role of nutrition in 2011, the EAGE added N-utrition to its name and became the EAGEN (European Association for Gastroenterology, Endoscopy and Nutrition).

EAGEN’s mission remains to be a leader in EDUCATION in GASTROENTEROLOGY, providing high quality, interactive and interdisciplinary education to about 3000 GI experts every year. EAGEN is proud to provide communication and networking platforms to the next GI generation throughout its 10-15 events across Europe and in particular with its traditional Bridging Meeting in GI.