Each year, the Erdheim-Chester Disease Global Alliance (ECDGA) hosts a singular event that brings together physicians, researchers, and care specialists from across disciplines and across borders. The ECDGA Medical Symposium is not just a scientific meeting—it is the central hub of knowledge exchange, strategy alignment, and relationship-building for the global medical community focused on Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD).
As attendees gather in Barcelona on May 27, 2025, the goals are clear: to push the boundaries of our understanding, to improve the quality of patient care, and to foster connections that lead to new research, clinical trials, and treatment pathways. But beyond the data and lectures, what makes this event essential is the shared sense of mission—a recognition that ECD, though rare, deserves the same rigor and innovation as any other disease.
Why This Event Is Unique
This symposium is the only dedicated global meeting for medical professionals focused exclusively on Erdheim-Chester Disease. It is distinct in its structure, designed not around general oncology or immunology principles, but around the very specific challenges and discoveries emerging in ECD science and care.
Here, specialists from hematology, oncology, pathology, neurology, immunology, radiology, nephrology, and internal medicine gather on equal footing to:
- Share clinical case studies that may redefine diagnostic thinking
- Examine molecular targets, such as the BRAF V600E and other MAPK pathway mutations, that are central to current and emerging therapies
- Explore real-world care challenges, especially in cases of organ-specific involvement or complex comorbid presentations
- Contribute to the development of clinical practice standards that can be adopted across institutions
Each session is rooted in the belief that interdisciplinary collaboration is the only path forward in rare disease medicine.
Building a Global Network of Experts
The ECD medical community is still small compared to other cancer or immunology fields. But it is highly connected, deeply focused, and increasingly influential. This symposium helps to solidify that network, offering attendees a rare chance to:
- Meet the leaders of ECD Care Centers around the world
- Identify opportunities for research partnerships and clinical trial participation
- Discover avenues for co-authorship, grant collaboration, and data sharing
- Establish referral relationships for complex cases
Many of the breakthroughs that have advanced ECD care—from targeted therapies to international patient registries—were first imagined at meetings just like this one.
Why Participation Matters
Whether you’re a first-time attendee or a long-standing member of the ECDGA Medical Advisory Board, your presence at the Medical Symposium signals more than interest—it signals commitment. The commitment to look beyond rare disease barriers, to apply leading-edge science in a focused context, and to build an ecosystem where no patient’s case is too unusual to be understood.
ECD may be rare, but it is not invisible. And thanks to the growing network of clinicians and researchers like you, we are turning complexity into clarity—and hope into action.
Join the Ongoing Conversation
The symposium is only the beginning. Attendees are encouraged to stay engaged with the ECDGA year-round through:
- Participation in the ECD Patient Registry and Data Platforms
- Involvement in clinical guideline development
- Submitting abstracts, case reports, or study proposals for future meetings
- Contributing to the multilingual resource library being developed for global care teams
Together, we are defining not only how ECD is treated—but how rare disease collaboration is done.
On behalf of the ECDGA Board of Directors and our global patient community: thank you for being part of this work. We look forward to continuing the journey together, in Barcelona and beyond.