Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver

Founded in Sao Paulo in 1968, the Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (ALEH) was created by enthusiastic hepatologists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Venezuela. The creation of this Society was inspired by both the European and the American Liver Associations. ALEH represents 14% of the world territory, accounting for more than 650 million people living in English-, Spanish-, and Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. The mission is to promote the importance of the study of the liver through a variety of activities, including the global exchange of specialists sharing their experiences in the clinic and in their research centers. ALEH’s vision is focused on building and promoting leadership for and within the region. We value the perspectives of local and international thought leaders and hope to be the catalyst for ongoing scientific collaboration. We continue to strengthen our participation in multiple international activities with sister societies, including the Global Liver Summit held at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) yearly meetings. During the International Liver Congress held in Barcelona in April of this year, together with the AASLD, EASL, and the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL), we signed the Joint Society Statement for the “Elimination of Viral Hepatitis as a public health threat by the year 2030.” Throughout its 50-year history, ALEH has had 25 presidents from nine countries comprising Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. The Society actively supports local, regional, and international scientific meetings throughout Latin American, amplifying the importance of collaborative initiatives, such as the development of regional guidelines. The recent XXIV ALEH Congress held in Santiago, Chile, had more than 600 attendees and approximately 180 abstracts, posters, and oral presentations, showcasing more than 50 speakers from around the world. A postgraduate course offered by the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, a joint ALEH and AASLD Research Workshop by young investigators, a Symposium of Acute on Chronic Liver Failure by the European Foundation for the Study of Chronic Liver Failure, and a postgraduate course provided by the Mayo Clinic from the United States were offered to members and to all who attended in addition to the parallel and plenary conferences. Work groups made up by the current groups of interest within the Association (hepatitis C, liver transplant, hepatocellular carcinoma, drug-induced liver injury, autoimmune and alcoholic liver diseases) met to encourage collaborative studies and secure regional epidemiological data on particular diseases. The general assembly allowed the delegates to learn about the activities of the last 2 years and the plans for the future and held a forum to ask questions and provide feedback. As is tradition,