Hepatology 2026 – one of the largest hepatology conferences in Poland

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The speaker stands at a lectern with microphones and delivers a presentation during a conference; in the background, a slide on MASLD treatment goals and a multimedia screen are visible.
On March 20, 2026, another edition of one of Poland’s largest conferences dedicated to liver diseases, “Hepatology 2026 – Advances in Diagnostics and Treatment,” was held in Warsaw. The event brought together nearly 400 participants – physicians from across Poland involved in the management of liver diseases, including specialists in gastroenterology, infectious diseases, transplantation, and pediatrics, as well as internists and family medicine physicians.

The conference was opened by Prof. Rafał Krenke, Rector of WUM. The event was held under the scientific supervision of the Department of Hepatology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine of WUM, the only center in Poland for adult patients that participates in the European Reference Network ERN RARE-LIVER for rare liver diseases.

The scientific committee, comprising Prof. Joanna Raszeja-Wyszomirska, Prof. Piotr Milkiewicz, and Dr. Maciej Janik, prepared the conference program, which consisted of six thematic sessions. Selected topics included:

  1. Challenges in contemporary hepatology
    Topics included advances in the pharmacotherapy of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the role of psychiatric pharmacotherapy in alcohol-related liver disease, current issues related to HCV infection, and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) guidelines on Wilson’s disease.
  2. Cholestatic diseases
    This session presented current treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), as well as therapeutic approaches to its symptoms, diagnostic and therapeutic controversies in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and current recommendations for the management of cholestasis during pregnancy.
  3. Latest EASL guidelines at a glance
    The most recent guidelines published in 2025 were presented, covering hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), cholangiocarcinoma, from both oncological and genetic perspectives, and surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis.
  4. Liver transplantation
    The final main session addressed issues such as cognitive disorders after transplantation, outcomes of transplantation in patients over 65 years of age, the risk of recurrence of autoimmune diseases (AIH, PSC, PBC), as well as current treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and topics in transplant oncology.

Clinical challenges from the perspective of a reference center

The conference addressed many topics that pose challenges in daily clinical practice but concern rare diseases and are therefore often overlooked, with patients referred to ERN reference centers. Prof. Piotr Milkiewicz discussed the management of symptoms, including fatigue and pruritus in PBC, which are often neglected despite affecting up to 60% of patients. Prof. Joanna Raszeja-Wyszomirska presented the important issue of genetically determined cholestatic diseases in adults, a problem more common than previously thought. Dr. Maciej Janik discussed strategies for optimizing the treatment of patients with autoimmune hepatitis, both in first-line and subsequent lines of therapy.

Leading experts: physicians from reference centers and authors of guidelines 

As in previous years, this year’s edition of the conference provided an opportunity to present key clinical issues from the perspective of a reference center, which at the national level is represented by the Central Clinical Hospital of WUM’s University Clinical Center in the field of liver and biliary diseases. The event highlighted the center’s significant role in the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases, liver transplantation, and oncological therapies, strengthening its position on Poland’s clinical map.

Among the many experts, special recognition was given to Prof. Michał Grąt (WUM), National Advisor in Clinical Transplantation, as well as co-authors of European EASL guidelines – Prof. Piotr Socha from the Children’s Memorial Health Institute and Dr. hab. Jerzy Jaroszewicz from the Medical University of Silesia.
In recognition of the achievements of distinguished clinicians in hepatology, session chairs included Prof. Marek Krawczyk (WUM) and Prof. Tomasz Mach (Jagiellonian University Medical College). Emphasizing the importance of collaboration between academic centers, the organizers also invited heads of gastroenterology departments from university centers in Katowice, Wrocław, and Lublin.

Exchange of experience and presentation of clinical guidelines

The conference “Hepatology 2026 – Advances in Diagnostics and Treatment,” as one of the largest hepatology events in Poland, provided an excellent platform for the exchange of experience, presentation of the latest clinical guidelines, and integration of the hepatology community. The meeting brought together specialists representing various clinical fields, including gastroenterology, infectious diseases, transplantation, and oncology, united by a shared interest in hepatic and biliary diseases.

The event was held under the honorary patronage of the Rector of the Medical University of Warsaw and under the patronage of the Polish Society of Gastroenterology.

Several people are standing on the stage during the medical conference “Hepatology 2026.” One of them is speaking at a lectern with microphones, and behind the group there is a large screen displaying the name of the event, the logo of the Medical University of Warsaw, and information on advances in diagnostics and treatment.
Conference participants are seated in the audience and listening to a presentation; they are wearing name badges on lanyards, and in the background the stage and a presentation screen are visible, emphasizing the formal nature of the scientific event.
The speaker stands behind a lectern and delivers a talk during a scientific conference; the speaker’s name is visible on the front of the lectern, and an audience gathered in front of the stage underscores the official and expert nature of the event.
The female speaker stands at a lectern and delivers a lecture during a scientific conference; a presentation with medical content is visible on the screen behind her, emphasizing the formal and expert nature of the talk.
Conference participants are seated in the audience and looking at a large screen displaying a medical presentation. The slide shows a management algorithm for MASLD, laboratory test results, information on weight reduction, and dietary and follow-up recommendations, indicating the educational and scientific nature of the event.
Two panel discussion participants are seated on stage in comfortable armchairs and are talking while holding microphones. Between them there is a small table with bouquets of red tulips, and the audience is visible in the foreground, emphasizing the intimate and expert nature of the conversation during the conference.
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Conference participants are seated in the audience and watching a presentation displayed on a large screen. The slide concerns autoantibodies and includes a table with laboratory data and a highlighted results section, underscoring the scientific and educational nature of the lecture during the medical event.
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