Update: The webinar is now available to rewatch above and on YouTube, including chapter markers, so you can jump right to the topic/speaker that interests you most.

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Join us today for the second webinar in the European Sepsis Alliance’s series on Antibiotic Stewardship in the Critically-Ill.

This free webinar, featuring Prof. Matteo Bassetti and Dr. Luke Moore and moderated by ESA Chair Prof. Evangelos Giamarellos-Bourboulis, will prioritize new and emerging evidence, behavioral and organizational aspects of antibiotic stewardship, and gaps between evidence and real-world practice, with a discussion on how to improve adherence and optimize patient outcomes.

The event recording will be available at the same URL immediately after the livestream has concluded.

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About This Webinar Series

The European Sepsis Alliance webinar series on antibiotic stewardship in critically-ill patients will bring together leading international experts to discuss the latest evidence, practical implementation strategies, and real-world clinical challenges in antimicrobial stewardship.

Across two live sessions on June 4 and June 17, participants will explore topics including biomarker-guided stewardship, bedside implementation, behavioral and human factors that influence protocol adherence, and emerging research that will shape future practice.

The webinars will feature expert presentations, case-based discussions, and interactive live Q&A sessions with internationally recognized specialists in intensive care, infectious diseases, and sepsis care.

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Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific

This webinar is kindly supported by Thermo Fisher Scientific, whom we sincerely thank for their continued support. Sponsors do not influence the choice of speakers or the content of the webinar in any way.

Sinéad O'Reilly and Prof. Steve Kerrigan at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombundsmen

As Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July 2026, the European Sepsis Alliance (ESA) has addressed Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill in a letter urging them to seize this unique opportunity to place sepsis on Europe’s health policy agenda.

The letter follows months of sustained advocacy by Irish sepsis advocate Sinéad O’Reilly and Prof. Steve Kerrigan of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), who have appeared before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen to make the case for coordinated European action on sepsis. At the heart of this effort lies the story of Sarah, a 34-year-old woman and mother of twins, who died of sepsis eleven weeks after being admitted to hospital.

Sarah’s story is also the story of hundreds of thousands of patients across Europe who continue to die because sepsis is not recognised and treated in time. The European Sepsis Care Survey has documented wide and persistent disparities among Member States in hospital infrastructure, workforce training, and standardised clinical protocols. The Irish Presidency offers a unique opportunity to begin closing these gaps.

The message from Sinéad O’Reilly, Prof. Kerrigan, ESA, WHO Europe, European policymakers, and the signatories of the ESA Call to Action is clear: use this moment to initiate a coordinated European response to sepsis.

Building Political Momentum in Ireland

Ciaran Staunton, Sinéad O'Reilly and Prof. Steve Kerrigan at the second aution of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombundsmen

On 17 February 2026, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen convened to hear Petition No. P00070/25, which called on the Irish Government to place sepsis awareness and management on the agenda of its upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Sinéad O’Reilly and Prof. Steve Kerrigan of RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences appeared before the Committee, chaired by Deputy Louise O’Reilly, to present the evidence and make the case for Irish leadership on sepsis.

The hearing prompted a strong response from Committee members, including Deputy Brendan Smith, Senator Páraic Brady, and Senator Aubrey McCarthy, and a commitment from Minister of State Niamh Smyth, who had previously met with Sinéad and other sepsis advocates.

Sinéad and Prof. Kerrigan returned before the Committee on 22 April 2026, alongside GSA Board Member Ciaran Staunton, to build on this momentum. As a result, Committee members have requested a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, which is currently being arranged.

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Sarah’s story: a family tragedy transforming sepsis policy response in Ireland

Sarah was 34 years old when she died. She worked as a Vigilance Specialist for Baxter Healthcare and excelled in her profession. She enjoyed baking, arts and crafts, and professional photography, but languages were her true passion. Originally from Germany, she was fluent in German, French, and English, and after moving to Ireland, she had also begun mastering the Irish language.

Sarah moved to Ireland 13 years ago after meeting my brother Patrick. Following a three-year-long-distance relationship, they married and were overjoyed when they bought their first home together. However, Sarah’s greatest dream was to start a family and become a mother.

The journey was not straightforward. Sarah underwent arduous fertility treatment and IVF before becoming pregnant with their precious twins, Lilly and PJ, whom we all regarded as little miracles.

Eleven weeks after the twins were born, I received a call from Sarah one Saturday morning in August. She told me that she had been vomiting during the night and was experiencing severe pain in her right side.

At the time, I was working as a Tissue Viability Clinical Nurse Specialist. Based on Sarah’s symptoms, I suspected gallstones and advised her to attend the Emergency Department for assessment and further investigations. This was during the COVID-19 restrictions, when family members were not permitted to accompany loved ones to the hospital.

Sarah attended the Emergency Department that morning. We remained in regular contact throughout the day, and she told me, in her own words, “They don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

I became increasingly concerned when I spoke with her later that evening because she did not sound like herself.

I contacted the hospital and explained my concerns to a staff member. I asked about Sarah’s treatment plan and was informed that she had pancreatitis, was doing well, and was receiving stronger pain relief. I was reassured that there was no cause for concern and felt relieved to hear this. I trusted that Sarah was receiving safe and appropriate care in the hospital where I myself worked.

Later that night, at approximately 3:30 a.m., I received a call informing me that Sarah had been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit but was stable. As a nurse, I understood the seriousness of both pancreatitis and an ICU admission, and I asked whether I should come to the hospital. Once again, I was reassured that there was no need to attend until morning and that Sarah remained stable.

When I arrived at the ICU the following morning, I was shocked to learn that Sarah had been diagnosed with sepsis and was experiencing multiple organ failure.

I never thought to ask, “Could it be sepsis?”

As Sarah’s condition deteriorated, she required urgent transfer to a higher-level care facility. By then, 28 hours had passed since her admission.

Sarah spent the next eleven weeks intubated in intensive care, fighting the greatest battle of her life. She received exceptional care, and the staff went above and beyond to keep her babies at the centre of her recovery. It was clear that Sarah was fighting to stay alive for Lilly and PJ and to continue being the mother she had always dreamed of becoming.

Tragically, Sarah died eleven weeks after her hospital admission, at just 34 years of age. She left behind my brother Patrick, now a widower, and Lilly and PJ, who would grow up without their mother.

Only eight months earlier, they had moved into what they hoped would be their forever home.

Sarah had presented with many of the signs and symptoms of sepsis from the moment she arrived at the hospital. Yet sepsis was not recognised or diagnosed despite assessments by emergency, surgical, and nursing teams.

Never in a million years did we imagine that, when Sarah was transferred to Beaumont Hospital, it would be the last time we would ever hear her speak.

Today, all we have are photographs and videos for her children to remember her by.

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The story above was written by Sinéad O’Reilly and is shared with her explicit consent. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Sepsis Alliance. This story is not intended to provide, nor should it be interpreted as providing, medical advice.

Update: The webinar is now available to rewatch above and on YouTube, including chapter markers, so you can jump right to the topic/speaker that interests you most.

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Join us now for the first webinar in the European Sepsis Alliance’s new series on Antibiotic Stewardship in the Critically-Ill. Moderated by Prof. Ignacio Martin-Loeches, the session will feature Dr. Rita Murri and Dr. Ricard Ferrer, who will discuss the fundamentals of antibiotic stewardship in critically-ill patients, practical strategies for implementation at the bedside, and the role of biomarkers in supporting clinical decision-making. Through expert presentations and a case-based discussion, participants will gain valuable insights into overcoming common challenges and improving antimicrobial stewardship in everyday practice.

The event recording will be available at the same URL immediately after the livestream has concluded.

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About This Webinar Series

The European Sepsis Alliance webinar series on antibiotic stewardship in critically-ill patients will bring together leading international experts to discuss the latest evidence, practical implementation strategies, and real-world clinical challenges in antimicrobial stewardship.

Across two live sessions on June 4 and June 17, participants will explore topics including biomarker-guided stewardship, bedside implementation, behavioral and human factors that influence protocol adherence, and emerging research that will shape future practice.

The webinars will feature expert presentations, case-based discussions, and interactive live Q&A sessions with internationally recognized specialists in intensive care, infectious diseases, and sepsis care.

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Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific

This webinar is kindly supported by Thermo Fisher Scientific, whom we sincerely thank for their continued support. Sponsors do not influence the choice of speakers or the content of the webinar in any way.

The 9th Annual Meeting of the European Sepsis Alliance brought together policymakers, physicians, researchers, patient advocates, and global health leaders in Brussels, at the Representation of North Rhine-Westphalia to the EU, with a dense programme of high-level dialogue, clinical updates, and powerful survivor testimonies. One year on from its launch, the meeting reinvigorated the Call to Action for Sepsis in Europe launched at the European Parliament, and was the forum for growing multiskaheolder support to the fight against sepsis in Europe.

Hon. Vytenis Andriukaitis

ESA Chair, Prof. Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis (left), ESA Honorary President, Prof. Konrad Reinhart

Dr. Mariam Jashi, Prof. Konrad Reinhart, Prof. Evangelos Giamarellos, Ana Burgos Gutiérrez, Dr. João Breda

ESA Chair, Prof. Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis, opened the meeting by reaffirming ESA's core mission and the urgency of the moment. The opening high-level panel — chaired by Dr. Mariam Jashi, CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance — set an ambitious tone for the day, bringing together some of the most prominent voices in European health policy and global sepsis advocacy. In a video message, Hon. Vytenis Andriukaitis, Member of the European Parliament and ESA Patron, underscored the collective responsibility of European institutions and Member States, reiterating the call for a European Sepsis Plan from WHO Europe’s Regional Director Hans Kluge. The responsability of EU institutions was also highlighted in the intervention of MEP Hon. Sirpa Pietikäinen.

Hon. Sirpa Pietikäinen

Ana Burgos Gutiérrez, Head of Unit for Intelligence Gathering, Analysis and Innovation at HERA, outlined the work underway within EU institutions to ensure that medical countermeasures and preparedness frameworks adequately address sepsis as a critical health threat. She concluded her intervention with an historical announcement of the allocation of €244 million by the European Commission for a research grant on innovative thereutics for infections, sepsis, and ARDS.

This year WHO EUrope was represented by Dr. João Breda, Head of the WHO European Office on Quality of Care and Patient Safety, highlighting the role of the WHO in supporting member states to strengthen their readiness to manage sepsis, with education being a core element of national plans.

Prof. Konrad Reinhart, Founding President of the Global Sepsis Alliance and President of the Sepsis Stiftung, called for a holistic approach that links sepsis, antimicrobial resistance, and pandemic preparedness in a single, coherent policy framework, arguing for the need of high-level political engagement.

ESA Vice-Chair, Prof. Manu Malbrain, and Prof. Djillali Annane.

In a session moderated by Prof. Manu Malbrain, ESA Vice-Chair, six leading European clinicians and researchers shared the latest advances across the full spectrum of sepsis care — from early recognition to novel therapies. A clear thread running through the presentations was the urgency of speed: whether in microbial diagnosis or at the emergency department, both Prof. Djillali Annane and Dr. Wolfgang Bauer underlined that the window for effective intervention remains narrow and that clinical systems must be designed accordingly. Equally prominent was the expanding frontier of treatment. Dr. Ricard Ferrer and Prof. Antonio Artigas presented the evolving evidence on immunoglobulin replacement and cell therapy respectively, while Prof. Michael Bauer highlighted interferon-gamma as an emerging pathway with significant implications for how we define and predict sepsis outcomes. Prof. Elie Azoulay rounded out the session with findings on septic shock in cancer patients — a growing and often underserved population that demands dedicated clinical protocols. Together, the presentations painted a picture of a field moving rapidly, with multiple promising avenues converging on the same goal: earlier detection and more targeted, effective treatment.

ESA Vice-Chair, Ulrika Knutsson

ESA Vice-Chair Ulrika Knutsson, Founder and CEO of Sepsisfonden, shared Sweden's experience in building national public awareness of sepsis, a model that has demonstrated measurable impact on recognition, population’s behaviour, and ultimately survival rates.

ESA Director, Simone Mancini, Marianne Haverkamp, Nveed Chaudhary

One of the most powerful segments of the day brought the human dimension of sepsis to the centre of the agenda. Moderated by Simone Mancini, Director of the European Sepsis Alliance, three advocates — Marianne Haverkamp (Spain), Nveed Chaudhary (United Kingdom), and Sinead O'Reilly (Ireland) — shared their personal journeys and the work they are doing to turn painful lived experience into lasting policy change.

Moderated by Amanda Bok, Chief Partnership Officer, The Synergist, the afternoon panel placed sepsis in the context of a global health landscape under significant strain. ESICM President Prof. Jan De Waele, Executive Director of UNITE, Dr. Guilherme Gonçalves Duarte, and UK Sepsis Trust CEO, Dr. Ron Daniels, together explored the structural, political, and systemic conditions that determine whether sepsis gets the attention it deserves.

Prof. Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Dr. Mariam Jashi, and Marianne Haverkamp closed the meeting with a renewed commitment to the shared agenda: advancing European and national sepsis plans grounded in awareness, education, early detection, research, and meaningful support for survivors and families.

The European Sepsis Alliance will continue its engagement with policymakers across Europe, building on the momentum of this meeting to ensure that the Call to Action translates into the concrete, funded, and measurable action that the scale of the sepsis crisis demands.

The European Sepsis Alliance webinar series on antibiotic stewardship in critically-ill patients will bring together leading international experts to discuss the latest evidence, practical implementation strategies, and real-world clinical challenges in antimicrobial stewardship.

Across two live sessions on June 4 and June 17, participants will explore topics including biomarker-guided stewardship, bedside implementation, behavioral and human factors that influence protocol adherence, and emerging research that will shape future practice.

The webinars will feature expert presentations, case-based discussions, and interactive live Q&A sessions with internationally recognized specialists in intensive care, infectious diseases, and sepsis care.

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Free Registration

Update: Registration has now closed. You can watch both webinars above or on YouTube.

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CME Credits

Application for CME accreditation has been submitted to the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. Approval is pending. We will update this page once we hear more.

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Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific

This webinar is kindly supported by Thermo Fisher Scientific, whom we sincerely thank for their continued support. Sponsors do not influence the choice of speakers or the content of the webinar in any way.

In April 2026, the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) will launch a landmark collaboration to transform the global response to Sepsis. 

“Saving Lives from Sepsis: From Evidence to Impact” is a joint initiative of the partner organizations in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and supported by a grant from the Laerdal Foundation. The initiative represents one of the most comprehensive international efforts to strengthen Sepsis research and elevate this medical emergency higher on the global health agenda.

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Sepsis – A Global Health Emergency

Sepsis remains one of the most pressing but under-recognized health challenges worldwide. It is responsible for 1 in every 5 deaths globally, placing immense strain on healthcare systems and societies. According to estimates published in The Lancet, 48.9 million people develop Sepsis each year, and 11 million newborns, children, and adults die from this medical emergency. Updated estimates published in October 2025 suggest 166 million cases and 21.4 million Sepsis-related deaths in 2021 alone.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, has emphasized that most of the 11 million deaths caused by Sepsis each year are preventable through low-cost infection prevention and control measures, and that nobody should die from Sepsis while seeking care.

Yet despite its massive burden, Sepsis continues to receive insufficient political attention and financial investment - particularly in low-resource settings where data gaps remain significant. These gaps ultimately slow progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), especially in efforts to reduce maternal, newborn, and child mortality.

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How the Project will Change the Status Quo 

GSA and SCCM, working with WHO and the WHO-hosted Acute Care Action Network (ACAN) and supported by a historic grant from the Laerdal Foundation, will lead three interconnected flagship initiatives to strengthen global evidence, research priorities, and the real-world implementation of Sepsis care.

Initiative 1. Global Report on the Health System Response to Sepsis

WHO will lead the development of the first global report and dashboard assessing how health systems worldwide prevent, detect, and manage Sepsis. The report, developed with technical input from GSA and SCCM, will be launched on World Sepsis Day (13 September 2027) and presented during a Sepsis side event held in parallel to the 82nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Initiative 2. 2026–2030 Global Sepsis Research Strategy

Beginning in May 2026, GSA and SCCM will work with WHO to lead a global expert and multi-stakeholder consultation process using the Utstein methodology to define priorities for the 2026–2030 Global Sepsis Research Strategy. The strategy will be presented during a Sepsis side in parallel to the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2026. The accompanying Sepsis Research Toolkits will be launched at a dedicated side event on the margins of the 80th World Health Assembly in May 2027.

Initiative 3. 10×10×10 Implementation Science Initiative

Led by SCCM and GSA with support from ACAN participant organizations, this initiative will evaluate the implementation of the WHO Sepsis Care Guidelines and tools across 10 countries in different geographic regions and resource settings. This implementation research will also document patient journeys and release 10 Sepsis Patient and Family Case Studies. Final results of the initiative will be presented at the 81st World Health Assembly in May 2028.

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From Evidence to Impact

This historic collaboration aims to save millions of lives and strengthen health systems worldwide by aligning global expertise, strengthening research priorities, and accelerating the implementation of proven sepsis care practices.

At the occasion of the 9th Annual Meeting of the European Sepsis Alliance, Ana Burgos Gutierrez, Acting Head of Intelligence Gathering, Analysis and Innovation Unit at HERA, the Health Emergency Response Authority of the European Commission, announced a groundbreaking fund allocation for the development of innovative therapeutics to treat infections, ARDS and sepsis.

The announcement is the confirmation of the integration of sepsis into HERA’s work. As Ms Burgos confirmed during her speech, although sepsis is not an outstanding priority for HERA, nevertheless it is integrated in all the actions related to infectious diseases, pandemic preparedness, environmental and biological threats.

This is the result of the continuous engagement by the European Sepsis Alliance with HERA, the participation in the HERA’s Civil Society Forum and our contribution to the European Commission Medical Countermeasures Strategy.

The scope of the € 244 million budget call is expected to cover the development of innovative therapeutics to treat viral infections, ARDS or sepsis resulting from infections, including pathogen-targeted therapeutics (excluding small molecules or monoclonal antibodies) and host-targeted therapeutics, among which but not only direct-acting antivirals, indirect-acting antivirals and novel immune modulators. It may also cover innovative combinations therapies and products designed to be administered through alternative routes to IV. Broad spectrum therapeutics, pathogen-agnostic therapeutics and therapeutics that could reduce or counteract the emergence of viral resistance are of particular interest.

The contract notice is expected to be published by the end of May 2026. We invite all our partners to monitor the publication of the call, and to contact us for any questions and collaborations.

In his address to the 9th Annual Meeting of the European Sepsis Alliance, ESA Patron Vytenis Andriukaitis delivered a strong call to translate political commitments on sepsis into concrete action across Europe.

Reflecting on the ESA’s landmark Call to Action launched at the European Parliament last year, he stressed that progress must now be matched by implementation. Despite growing awareness, major gaps remain, leaving millions of Europeans at risk.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Andriukaitis pointed to the latest estimates of 1.27 million sepsis-related deaths annually in the EU, underlining that many of these deaths are preventable with stronger political will and coordinated action. He also emphasized the close link between sepsis and antimicrobial resistance, describing sepsis as its “human face.”

Andriukaitis echoed WHO Europe Regional Director Hans Kluge’s call for a comprehensive European Sepsis Plan. He welcomed the support of WHO Europe and called for sepsis to be fully integrated into EU health security, pandemic preparedness, and the broader European Health Union framework.

The ESA Patron also drew attention to the critical intersection between sepsis and cancer. With cancer patients facing a tenfold higher risk of developing sepsis—and a mortality rate of around 50% among those affected, he urged policymakers to embed sepsis prevention, early detection, and management into national cancer plans.

Concluding his remarks, he called on EU institutions and Member States to act decisively: establish clear metrics, allocate dedicated resources, and ensure coordinated implementation across agencies.

“By working together across borders and disciplines,” he noted, “we can save over a million lives each year.”

On March 4, 2026, the European Parliament served as the stage for a critical policy dialogue titled "Safeguarding Cancer Care in Europe: AMR and Sepsis," a high-level event organised by Cancer Patients Europe (CPE) to address the intersection of cancer and infections. Hosted by a cross-party coalition of MEPs including Kristian Vigenin, Ondřej Dostál, and Nikos Papandreou, the session centered on the launch of the the White Paper “Combating AMR in Oncology: A Strategic Imperative for EU Health Policy” to which the European Sepsis Alliance contributed.

Representing the ESA, Steering Committee member Prof. Djillali Annane delivered an insightful intervention on the systemic failures that currently leave immunocompromised patients vulnerable. He pointed out that while sepsis accounts for a significant portion of deaths in cancer patients—particularly those with hematological malignancies—it is frequently misrecorded as a general infection or organ failure. This lack of precise coding masks the true scale of the problem, leading to his urgent warning that we cannot properly prevent what we do not accurately count.

The discussions highlighted that AMR is fundamentally changing the clinical landscape for oncology. For patients whose immune systems are weakened by chemotherapy or stem cell transplants, the failure of first-line antibiotics means infections can progress into life-threatening sepsis within hours. Prof. Annane emphasized that this is no longer just a microbiological challenge but a structural one, characterized by fragmented care pathways and a "one-size-fits-all" treatment approach that fails to account for the unique immune profiles of cancer patients.

The ESA continues to advocate for a precision-based approach to sepsis management, calling for EU-wide investment in rapid diagnostics that can identify pathogens in minutes rather than days. By integrating cancer and sepsis pathways and harmonising reporting across Member States, European health policy can move toward a system that recognises sepsis not merely as a complication, but as a critical determinant of cancer survival.

The event concluded with a unified call for these priorities to be firmly embedded in the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and upcoming legislative initiatives like the Critical Medicines Act.

The discussion will continue also in the ESA Sepsis and Cancer Working Group, launched on 4 February. The WG aims at identifying gaps and opportunities in the research agenda for sepsis in oncology, and advocate for the integration of sepsis protocols in national cancer plans.

Update: The recording is now available to rewatch at your convenience, embedded above or here on YouTube, including chapter markers so you can jump to the speaker/topic that you are most interested in.

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Original article:
We are now live from Brussels with the 9th Annual Meeting of the European Sepsis Alliance – you can join us via the free YouTube livestream, including asking questions to our speakers, panelists, and moderators.

Please use the chat function on YouTube to ask questions and interact with us. The event recording will be available at the same URL immediately after the livestream has concluded.

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We will be joined by European health policy leaders, prominent academics, and advocacy experts, including Member of the European Parliament Hon. Sirpa Pietikäinen and ESA Patron Hon. Vytenis Andriukaitis, Ana Burgos Gutiérrez, Head of Unit at HERA, ESICM President Prof. Jan De Waele, Guilherme Gonçalves Duarte, Executive Director of UNITE Parliamentarian Network for Global Health, and many others.

We will discuss the urgency of integrating policy response to sepsis in the European health agenda, the latest progress in therapy and research, and stories of patients and families in advocating for sepsis prioritisation in national and European policies, with high-level policymakers, experts, and survivors.

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Sponsors

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Sponsors do not influence the content of the event in any way.

The Steering Committee of the European Sepsis Alliance is proud to announce the nomination of Prof. Konrad Reinhart as Honorary President of the ESA.

This nomination serves as a tribute to a lifetime of extraordinary dedication to the fight against sepsis, defined by a rare synergy between high-impact clinical research and tireless international advocacy.

Prof. Giamarellos-Bourboulis in a panel with Hon. Vytenis Andriukaitis and Prof. Reinhart at the 6th Annual Meeting of the ESA.

“The ESA Steering Committee unanimously agreed that without the work, the leadership, and the inspiration of Prof. Reinhart, we would not be in the strong position where we are now. I am personally deeply honoured to have collected his legacy six years ago as Chair of the ESA, and to continue building a solid organisation, advancing our mission to improve sepsis care and prioritising sepsis policies across Europe,” stated Prof. Evangelos J. Giamarellos Bourboulis, commenting on the nomination.

A Career of Scientific Excellence and Advocacy

Already the Founding President of the Global Sepsis Alliance, Prof. Reinhart laid the groundwork for the creation of the ESA in 2018, under the patronage of former European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis. Prof. Reinhart has been the driving force behind many of the most significant milestones in our field, above all the adoption of the WHA 70.7 Resolution on Sepsis by the World Health Assembly in 2017.

He is the initiator of World Sepsis Day in 2012 and of the World Sepsis Congress, now in its 6th edition.

Although the Honorary President will not have executive responsibilities within the organisation, we look forward to continuing our joint mission with Prof. Reinhart’s guidance in this new honorary capacity, ensuring that the European voice remains central to the global fight against sepsis.

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, the European Sepsis Alliance, together with leading professional societies, research institutions, and industry partners, is pleased to announce the launch of a new Working Group on Sepsis and Cancer.

This initiative has been convened following the leadership and impetus of The Jibraan Chaudhary Sepsis Research Foundation, whose mission highlights the urgent and often overlooked intersection between cancer, immunosuppression, and sepsis.

Why sepsis and cancer?

Sepsis remains one of the most serious and underestimated complications affecting people living with cancer. Patients undergoing chemotherapy—particularly those experiencing neutropenia—are at increased risk of infection, rapid deterioration, and recurrent sepsis episodes.

• Neutropenic patients are several times more likely to develop sepsis than the general population, with infections often progressing rapidly and atypically.

• Sepsis is a leading cause of unplanned hospitalisation and ICU admission among patients with haematological malignancies.

• Cancer survivors who experience one episode of sepsis face a significantly higher risk of recurrence, long-term morbidity, treatment interruptions, and mortality.

• Despite advances in oncology, infection prevention and sepsis management have not kept pace, often falling between medical specialties and health system responsibilities.

As cancer survival improves, addressing sepsis prevention, early recognition, and optimal management must become a core pillar of cancer care, rather than a reactive response to complications.

Purpose of the Working Group

The Working Group on Sepsis and Cancer aims to bring together expertise across disciplines to:

• Elevate awareness of sepsis as a major, preventable threat to cancer patients

• Identify gaps in clinical pathways, research, and policy related to infection and sepsis in oncology and haematology

• Promote better integration of sepsis prevention, early detection, and response within cancer care pathways

• Support research, data generation, and advocacy efforts that improve outcomes for immunocompromised patients

The Working Group will serve as a collaborative platform, connecting clinicians, researchers, patient advocates, policymakers, and industry to identify shared solutions at national and European levels.

Founding organisations

The Working Group is founded by the following organisations:

• European Sepsis Alliance

• The Jibraan Chaudhary Sepsis Research Foundation

• Blood Cancer UK

• AMR Action UK

• Sepsis Research FEAT

• UK Sepsis Trust

• IHU SEPSIS

• European Society for Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM)

• Hemotune AG

• Cancer Patients Europe

• Sepsisfonden

An open and growing initiative

The Working Group is open to additional organisations—including patient groups, professional societies, academic institutions, and business partners—who share an interest in addressing this critical and under-recognised aspect of cancer care. Should you be interested in joining the working group, please contact Simone Mancini at Simone.Mancini@global-sepsis-alliance.org or Nveed Chaudhary at Nveed@jcsr.org.uk.

As the Working Group develops its priorities, workplan, and activities, we will share updates on progress, outputs, and opportunities for engagement.

We are delighted to begin the new year with the announcement that the 9th ESA Annual Meeting will take place on 18 March in Brussels, at the Representation of North Rhine-Westphalia to the EU.

At the last Annual Meeting in March, we launched the Call to Action for Sepsis in Europe, which set out concrete recommendations for EU institutions, Member States, and stakeholders.

One year on, the 2026 meeting aims to take stock of progress, identify gaps, and reinvigorate the commitments outlined in the Call to Action. We will involve European policymakers and authorities, sepsis survivors and experts, with the objective to demonstrate the urgency to integrate sepsis into the EU policy agenda and engage participants in advocating for sepsis awareness and prioritisation.

Save the date and register to attend the event online or in person.

Sponsors

NB: Sponsors do not influence in any way the content of the event.

The European Sepsis Alliance is proud to celebrate the upcoming participation of our Chair, Prof. Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis, at CCR Down Under 2025 taking place on 9–10 December in Melbourne, Australia. His invitation to present the pioneering IMMUNOSEP trial marks a remarkable recognition of European leadership in sepsis research and innovation.

CCR Down Under is widely regarded as one of the most authoritative global forums in intensive care medicine, known for unveiling the most influential multicentre clinical trials that shape clinical practice and inform international guidelines. Being selected among the top eight critical care trials worldwide is a distinction that reflects both the scientific excellence of the work and its potential to transform patient care.

“Being selected for CCR Down Under is not just an honor. It is a statement about the global relevance of our research. […] Our mission is to generate evidence that does more than inform practice, it transforms it.”

— Prof. Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis, ESA Chair

IMMUNOSEP, conducted across six European countries over nearly three years, is a groundbreaking clinical study exploring a personalised immunotherapy strategy for sepsis. Instead of treating sepsis as a uniform condition, the trial evaluates targeted treatments based on each patient’s immune profile. This approach recognises that sepsis patients can experience vastly different immune responses—some develop overwhelming inflammation, whereas others suffer from immune paralysis. By tailoring treatment to the individual, IMMUNOSEP aims to improve survival, reduce complications, and ultimately change the way sepsis is treated worldwide.

If confirmed in broader clinical practice, the trial’s findings could open the door to a new era of precision medicine in sepsis, allowing clinicians to intervene earlier, more effectively, and with therapies selected to match the underlying immune dysfunction. Such innovation has the potential to save thousands of lives every year and reduce the enormous global burden of sepsis.

The invitation to present IMMUNOSEP at CCR Down Under represents an important milestone not only for Prof. Giamarellos and the other partners of the trial, including ESA Steering Committe members Prof. Michael Bauer and Prof. Joost Wiersinga, but for the entire European sepsis research community. As he noted, this recognition highlights the growing global relevance of European science and its contribution to the future of critical care.

The presentation will be freely accessible via livestream on the CCR website on Tuesday 9, as of 9:00 AEDT (Monday 8, 23:00 CET).

In November, ESA members elected the new Steering Committee for the 2025-2028 term. The new Steering Committee brings together experts, including two sepsis survivors, with a broad range of competencies (intensive medicine, infectious disease, anesthesiology, communication, policy, government relations, marketing), coming from nine countries: France, Spain, Germany, Greece, Belgium, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

At the first meeting of the new Steering Committee, Prof. Giamarellos was confirmed as Chair for the 2025-2028 term. His leadership and tireless engagement have brought ESA recognition and sepsis advocacy in Europe to high levels.

ESA Steering Committee composition

• Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis

• Djillali Annane

• Antonio Artigas 

• Michael Bauer

• Ron Daniels

• Fabio Guarracino

• Marianne Haverkamp

• Ulrika Knutsson

• Dennis Kredler

• Adam Linder

• Manu Malbrain

• Joost Wiersinga

We congratulate the elected members, and we thank ESA member organisations for their support. We look forward to working together over the coming years to advance sepsis awareness, research, and advocacy in Europe.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and sepsis remain urgent and interconnected global health threats. As part of World AMR Awareness Week, the Global Sepsis Alliance is partnering with Biotest, Menarini, and bioMérieux to host a three-part webinar series on AMR and sepsis. After opening the series with a session on diagnostic innovation and targeted therapy on November 20, we now turn to the next topic.

We are delighted to invite you to the World Sepsis Congress Satellite Session: AMR and Sepsis in Cancer Patients, scheduled for Monday, November 24, 2025, from 15:00 to 16:30 CET. This 90-minute online event explores the urgent challenges at the intersection of AMR, oncology, and sepsis, featuring leading experts, patient advocates, and frontline clinicians.

An educational grant from Menarini kindly supports this webinar.

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Free Registration

About the Session

Cancer patients, particularly those who are immunocompromised, face a heightened risk of severe infections and sepsis, while AMR increasingly limits effective treatment options. This session will provide an overview of:

• Key links between cancer and sepsis

• Sepsis in immunocompromised patients

• Managing resistant infections in oncology

• Patient and family perspectives

Why Join?

The session offers valuable insights for anyone working in or interested in AMR, cancer care, infectious diseases, sepsis management, or patient advocacy.

Published on October 21, 2025, in The Lancet Global Health, the GBD 2021 Global Sepsis Collaborators have released new global estimates showing a dramatic rise in Sepsis burden and the reversing trends after decades of progress. 

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Christopher J.L. Murray and Prof. Mohsen Naghavi of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, as well as all contributing authors of this groundbreaking research, including Prof. Niranjan "Tex" Kissoon, President of the Global Sepsis Alliance.

Key findings of the study: 

• 166 million Sepsis cases and 21.4 million deaths estimated only in 2021, representing nearly one-third of all global deaths.

• After decades of decline, progress in reducing Sepsis was reversed during 2020-2021, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Adults aged 15+ saw a 230% rise in Sepsis incidence and 26% rise in Sepsis mortality since 1990.

• Older adults (70+) now face the highest burden, with over 9 million deaths annually.

• Sepsis is increasingly linked not only to infectious diseases but to non-communicable conditions (NCDs) such as stroke, COPD, and cirrhosis — often through complications such as bloodstream and respiratory infections. 

“These findings overturn previous success in reducing Sepsis deaths and underscore growing risks linked to chronic and infectious diseases, especially in adults,” note the study authors. 

These new estimates strengthen GSA’s message for the urgency of action against Sepsis.

•  The findings show rising Sepsis mortality both from infections and as a complication of non-communicable diseases. This reinforces the need for integrated, people-centered care models that align chronic disease management with infection prevention and critical care  - a central objective of the 2030 Global Sepsis Agenda

• Sepsis should be positioned at the top of the Global Health agenda and embedded in health system architecture across the lifespan. Sepsis prevention, early detection, and management must be prioritized for newborns, children, and women, as well as young adults and ageing populations — especially in low-resource settings.

• Sepsis should be fully integrated into broader global health priorities, including universal health coverage (UHC), antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and pandemic preparedness.

• Finally, greater prioritization and funding for Sepsis research, innovation, and implementation are essential to save millions of lives.

These new estimates reaffirm that Sepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and disability worldwide - and that strong UHC-aligned health system responses are essential to reduce preventable deaths.

The GSA encourages its Regional Sepsis Alliances across Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Latin America, and 122 member organizations and partners worldwide to disseminate this publication and continue mobilizing action toward Sepsis prevention, early recognition, and equitable access to treatment.

As part of ESA engagement around World Sepsis Day, ESA Chair Prof. Giamarellos joined this important webinar highlighting sepsis as a persistent and serious global health challenge, far outlasting the COVID-19 pandemic. Hosted jointly by the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC) and ESA to mark World Sepsis Day, the event features two expert-led lectures by Dr Ricard Ferrer and Prof. Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis.

On 10 September, Prof. Marcio Borges, Head of the Multidisciplinary Sepsis Unit at Son Llatzer University Hospital in Palma de Mallorca and President of the Código Sepsis Foundation, and Marianne Haverkamp, Chair of the ESA Patient and Family Support WG and of the GSA Global Sepsis Survivor and Families Committee, met with Mónica García, Minister of Health of Spain, to discuss the set-up and development of a National Plan for Sepsis. Also present from the Ministry were María Rosario Fernández, Deputy Director General for Healthcare Quality, and José Manuel López Rodrigo, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Health.

The aim of the meeting was to strengthen the collaboration with the Ministry on educational and healthcare initiatives while raising awareness about sepsis, a severe clinical syndrome that, despite its impact, remains largely unknown to the public.

Sepsis in Spain

Sepsis affects between 75,000 and 138,000 people in Spain annually and causes around 17,000 deaths —more than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined. However, awareness of sepsis in Spain remains low.

A recent survey by Sepsisinfo.es and the Código Sepsis Foundation revealed that 52% of Spaniards do not know what sepsis is, 65% underestimate the number of deaths it causes annually, and one in four respondents do not recognize its symptoms, such as fever, confusion, or rapid breathing.

Strategic Proposal for a National Plan

During the meeting, the Código Sepsis Foundation and SepsisInfo.es proposed the creation of a National Plan for Sepsis to the Ministry of Health. The Foundation already has a strategy drafted and approved in 2016, which covers diagnosis, monitoring, and treatments, and will serve as the foundation for the new national plan. This initiative seeks to address the problem in a multidisciplinary and comprehensive way.

The proposal, structured into six strategic areas, includes prevention and awareness, healthcare provision, educational measures, as well as rehabilitation and follow-up for survivors. Marianne Haverkamp emphasized the need of the active participation of patients and families in such plan.

Since 2012, several scientific societies and experts have developed different actions and documents for comprehensive and multidisciplinary sepsis care, making Spain one of the first countries in the world to do so. Since 2015, Sepsis Code Programs have been implemented in over 65% of Spanish hospitals across all regions, some with their own specific strategic approaches.

These programs rely on multidisciplinary teams, including more complex multidisciplinary sepsis units—currently more than 25 nationwide. Evidence from literature and practice shows that these programs reduce sepsis-related mortality, shorten hospital stays, and lower associated costs, estimated at €17,000–€25,000 per episode.

Post-sepsis syndrome (PSS), affecting 40% of survivors with long-term consequences, was a key element of the proposal, as most patients currently receive no structured follow-up or support. The proposal also highlighted the high economic burden of sepsis for the healthcare system, estimated at €10,000–€18,000 per hospital episode.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The Minister and her senior team welcomed the proposal very positively, stressing its importance and the need for a national plan to address sepsis. They agreed on further follow-up meetings to continue working on the implementation of the proposed measures and to better understand the current situation, including actions already underway and the activity of sepsis groups and units.

Collaboration between the Ministry, regional governments, scientific societies, patient associations, and civil society will be essential to strengthen and generate new actions to improve sepsis care, thereby continuing to reduce mortality and healthcare resource use in tackling this complex clinical syndrome.

About the Código Sepsis Foundation

The Código Sepsis Foundation promotes a collaborative framework for healthcare professionals engaged in social and healthcare interventions for sepsis. Its objectives include creating a continuous educational system to enhance knowledge among professionals, raising social and economic awareness of the problem, and facilitating a shared multidisciplinary analysis of the significance and impact of sepsis. The Sepsis Code, which covers everything from diagnosis to supportive treatment, is based on a healthcare, educational, and research approach.

About SepsisInfo.es

SepsisInfo.es is an outreach platform offering accurate and accessible information on sepsis, its symptoms, prevention, treatment, and recovery, aimed at the general public, patients and families, as well as healthcare professionals.

At the occasion of the event United Against Sepsis, organised in Brussels on 9 September by the European sepsis patient organisation consortium Sepsis Stronger Together, the Belgian patient organisation Sepsibel, and the European Society for Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), Dr. Hans Kluge, Regional Director of WHO Europe delivered a strong message calling European member states to act against sepsis and welcoming the efforts of the European Sepsis Alliance. Referring to the ESA Call to Action delivered at the European Parliament last March, Dr. Kluge calls for:

• A European Sepsis Plan

• The inclusion of sepsis in the European preparedness and medical countermeasure strategies

Dr. Kluge also exhorts European governments to put in place national sepsis strategies and close the gap between planning and action.
The European Sepsis Alliance is grateful for the continued support of Dr Kluge and of WHO Europe, and we look forward to joining effort and working together towards national and European sepsis plans.

We invite our member organisations and partners to share this powerful message widely.