JESFC

From the official opening, two lectures will set the tone: Ana Abreu, President of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC), will share her reflections on the topic, and Catherine Grenier will present her public health perspective, outlining the role of institutions in this approach.

The same spirit of commitment to prevention runs through all the flagship lectures of this edition. The European lecture will be delivered by Steffen Petersen, on the role of imaging in cardiovascular prevention. The Canadian lecture will be delivered by Jacqueline Bosch, who will share data from more than 20 years of research on the “polypill,” a topic that is particularly timely in research aimed at optimizing prevention.

In her African lecture, Anastase Dzudie will address the global dimension of the cardio-metabolic syndrome epidemic. We will also welcome Atul Pathak on new drug combinations in arterial hypertension; Jeffrey Healey on subclinical atrial fibrillation and the dilemma of anticoagulation; Théodora Angoulvant to better understand the mechanisms of new treatments; and Frédéric Gagnadoux with an update on the latest research on sleep and cardiovascular health.
As patients are the main actors in their own prevention, Barthélémy Bourdon Baron Munoz will help us—physicians and allied health professionals—to better motivate them in their preventive efforts.

Finally, in keeping with the tradition of inviting a non-medical personality for the exceptional lecture, we are honored to announce the presence of Mr. Régis Juanico, former Member of Parliament for Loire and a passionate advocate of physical activity for all, who will share his vision for a less sedentary France.

The SFC aims to be as inclusive as possible in its preventive approach. This is why, this year, it naturally gives greater prominence to the partnership with the French Federation of Cardiology. Beyond the joint SFC/FFC session, many Federation members committed to the cardiovascular health of our population will take an active part in the scientific program. And so that cardiologists do not forget their own cardiovascular health, the FFC will run a screening station this year for all congress participants!

JESFC 2026 also reaffirms a dense scientific program structured around the major clinical themes, fostering collaboration with 28 French learned societies across many medical disciplines, enabling a cross-disciplinary approach for our patients, who are often affected by multiple comorbidities and need the combined perspectives of several specialties. Among these comorbidities, we would like to highlight this year the importance given to psychological disorders and psychiatric conditions, brought to light in a recent ESC consensus document and addressed in several sessions, so that this major pillar of cardiovascular prevention is no longer overlooked.

The 2026 edition further strengthens the congress’s international openness. Alongside French experts, representatives of cardiologists from Algeria, Armenia, Belgium, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Mauritania, Romania, Switzerland, and Tunisia will be our key partners through joint sessions. This diversity reflects the SFC’s vision of maintaining strong, privileged ties with all French-speaking countries, while also building collaborative links with many other friendly countries. Collaborations with the ESC and its components also remain very prominent, with 8 shared sessions on prevention, imaging, electrophysiology, heart failure, and cardio-oncology. For the third consecutive year, Filippo Crea, Editor-in-Chief of the European Heart Journal, will do us the honor of chairing a session on the most important studies published in 2025 in this journal.

Given their key role in prevention, we hope to see continued growth in the participation of allied health professionals at this congress in 2026. Dedicated tracks are designed for them, covering prevention, cardio-oncology, rehabilitation, and at-risk situations, enabling them to optimize their experience and interact with cardiologists during the congress.

JESFC is also attracting more and more of our youngest trainees. From Wednesday morning, seminars are dedicated to residents, with the addition this year of a new seminar on congenital heart disease. Beyond that day, many residents attend the various sessions right up to the final hour on Friday. Oral communication sessions and flash presentations highlight the work of young researchers and give a voice to a new generation of practitioners and scientists.

Still a must, the Simulation Village will continue to grow with new hands-on workshops, notably on communicating with patients around prevention topics, while maintaining imaging workshops, introductory interventional skills sessions, and emergency situation management. Building on the success of its launch last year, the Digital Village will round out the range of training opportunities, led by our colleagues from the artificial intelligence circle.

None of this would be possible without the ongoing mobilization of all SFC subsidiaries, groups, colleges, and circles, nor without the unwavering commitment of the SFC congress team, and our successful partnership with the Europa agency. We also extend our thanks to our long-standing and new industry partners, who faithfully support this event and enrich the program through their symposia, training centers, and other spaces for discussion and interaction.

At a time when prevention is more than ever a national and global priority, we hope that each of us will leave JESFC 2026 with up-to-date knowledge for renewed practices, and with the desire to take concrete action to reduce the human, social, and economic burden of cardiovascular diseases.

Enjoy the congress!

Prof. Victor Aboyans, Scientific Secretary of JESFC
Prof. Anne Bernard, Deputy Scientific Secretary, in charge of the Simulation Village
Prof. Stéphane Lafitte, in charge of CPD and the Digital Village