International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association

The International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA) is an international nonprofit professional association devoted to diseases and procedures involving the liver, pancreas, and biliary tract. Its scope covers both benign and malignant conditions, with a particularly strong emphasis on hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, surgical oncology, clinical research, professional education, and cooperation among specialists in different regions of the world. The association emerged from earlier efforts to create an international professional network for biliary and hepatopancreatobiliary specialists. Its institutional history reaches back to the International Biliary Association, founded in San Francisco in 1978. That organization later became the International Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Association. In parallel, the World Association of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery was formed, holding an early meeting in Lund, Sweden, in June 1986. The two organizations subsequently joined together, creating the IHPBA in 1994. The IHPBA's principal activities include organizing a recurring World Congress, supporting regional and national chapters, disseminating specialist research, and maintaining professional links across the international hepatopancreatobiliary community. Since the first congress of the merged organization in 1994, the World Congress has generally been held in even-numbered years and has moved between major medical centers across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, Africa, and online formats. These meetings provide venues for scientific presentations, clinical exchange, surgical education, and publication of important research. In 1999, the IHPBA established HPB, an academic journal dedicated to hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease and its management. The journal publishes research articles, reviews, editorials, correspondence, clinical images, and other specialist material. Surgical oncology is a major area of coverage, including the treatment challenges presented by cancers of the liver, biliary system, and pancreas. HPB also serves as an official journal for several affiliated regional organizations, including the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, the Asian-Pacific Hepato Pancreatic Biliary Association, and the European-African Hepato-Pancreatic Biliary Association. The organization was incorporated in the United States in June 2001 and established the Warren Research Fellowship in the same year. Its international structure includes regional associations and a changing network of national chapters. Regional bodies described as affiliated with the IHPBA include organizations representing the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe and Africa. National chapters have existed or developed in countries and regions including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Scandinavia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The IHPBA is therefore best understood not as a commercial brand but as a global medical society and professional platform. Its recognizable institutional outputs are its congresses, journal, research-support activities, regional relationships, and educational role in a specialized field of medicine. Publicly available reference material does not establish a headquarters location, named founder, current executive roster, or commercial financial information.

The history of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association is rooted in the development of international specialist organizations for biliary, liver, pancreatic, and related surgical conditions. The earliest institutional predecessor identified in available reference material is the International Biliary Association, founded in San Francisco in 1978. Its establishment reflected the growing need for structured professional exchange in a field that crosses traditional boundaries between general surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, hepatology, oncology, radiology, pathology, and medical research. The International Biliary Association later evolved into the International Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Association. During the same period, a separate World Association of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery was created. That surgical organization held its first meeting in Lund, Sweden, from June 9 to June 13, 1986, attracting approximately 600 attendees. The parallel development of these bodies showed the increasing importance of dedicated international collaboration in the management of complex diseases involving the liver, pancreas, and biliary tract. In 1994, the two organizations merged to form the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association. The merger provided a broader institutional base for international congresses, specialist education, research communication, and cooperation among national and regional professional bodies. The first congress of the merged association was held in Boston, United States, in June 1994. Subsequent World Congresses were hosted in Bologna, Madrid, Brisbane, Tokyo, Washington, Edinburgh, Mumbai, Buenos Aires, Paris, Seoul, São Paulo, Geneva, and other locations, reflecting the association's geographically distributed membership and mission. The IHPBA expanded its publishing role in 1999 by establishing HPB. The journal became an important vehicle for research on benign and malignant disease of the liver, biliary system, and pancreas. Its coverage includes clinical management, surgical techniques, surgical oncology, original research, expert reviews, editorials, correspondence, images, and material related to professional congresses. HPB is also associated with several regional organizations, including the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, the Asian-Pacific Hepato Pancreatic Biliary Association, and the European-African Hepato-Pancreatic Biliary Association. A further institutional milestone occurred in June 2001, when the IHPBA was incorporated in the United States. In the same year it established the Warren Research Fellowship, adding a formal research-support activity to its congress and publishing programs. The association's international structure has also included regional and national chapters. Regional affiliates have represented the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe and Africa, while national chapters have existed or emerged in numerous countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. The World Congress has remained the association's most visible recurring activity. Meetings have generally been held in even-numbered years, although the format and host location have varied. The 2020 congress was held virtually from Australia during the period when international travel and large gatherings were disrupted. Later congresses returned to in-person international venues, including New York in 2022 and Cape Town in 2024. Available reference material does not identify a single founder, permanent headquarters, current executive leadership list, membership total, or detailed financial structure. The IHPBA's documented institutional identity is that of an active international nonprofit medical association whose principal functions are professional education, scientific communication, research support, congress organization, and coordination across the hepatopancreatobiliary field.

• 2024

  16th World Congress in Cape Town

  [1]International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The 16th World Congress was held in Cape Town, South Africa, from May 15 to May 18.

• 2020

  World Congress held virtually

  [1]International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The 14th World Congress was held virtually from Australia.

• 2001

  United States incorporation and Warren Research Fellowship

  [1]International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The association was incorporated in the United States and established the Warren Research Fellowship.

• 1999

  HPB journal established

  [1]International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The IHPBA established HPB as its academic journal for research and clinical scholarship in hepatobiliary and pancreatic medicine and surgery.

• 1994

  IHPBA formed through organizational merger

  [1]International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The International Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Association and the World Association of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery merged to create the IHPBA.

• 1994

  First IHPBA World Congress

  [1]International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The first congress of the merged association was held in Boston, United States.

• 1986

  Early World Association of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery meeting

  [1]International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The World Association of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery held its first meeting in Lund, Sweden, attracting approximately 600 attendees.

• 1978

  International Biliary Association founded

  [1]International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The International Biliary Association, a predecessor organization, was founded in San Francisco.

An international nonprofit professional association and knowledge network for specialists working in hepatobiliary, pancreatic, and related surgical and oncological disciplines.

• Academic medical journal · 1999

  HPB

  HPB is the academic journal owned by the IHPBA. It covers benign and malignant diseases of the liver, biliary system, and pancreas, together with their clinical and surgical management. Surgical oncology is a major focus, including cancers affecting the liver, biliary tract, and pancreas. The journal publishes original research, reviews, editorials, correspondence, clinical images, and other scholarly material, and carries work associated with international and regional congresses.

• International medical congress · 1994

  IHPBA World Congress

  The World Congress is the association's recurring international meeting for scientific exchange, professional education, clinical discussion, and presentation of research in hepatopancreatobiliary medicine and surgery. Since 1994, congresses have been hosted in multiple regions, including North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. The 2020 edition used a virtual format, while later meetings returned to physical international venues.

• Research fellowship · 2001

  Warren Research Fellowship

  The Warren Research Fellowship is a research-support initiative established by the IHPBA in 2001. Available reference material identifies the fellowship's existence and establishment date but does not provide its current eligibility rules, award value, or application details.

• 2020

  Virtual World Congress formatOther

  Background

  International travel and large in-person gatherings were disrupted during the period of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

  Action taken

  The 14th World Congress was delivered virtually from Australia.

  Aftermath

  The virtual format allowed the congress program to continue despite restrictions affecting international meetings.

  Source

• 2001

  Formal incorporation and research-support expansionStrategy

  Background

  After several years of international congresses and publishing activity, the association formalized its legal structure and expanded its institutional support for research.

  Action taken

  The IHPBA was incorporated in the United States and established the Warren Research Fellowship.

  Aftermath

  The actions strengthened the association's formal organizational identity and added a documented fellowship program to its professional activities.

  Source

• 1999

  Launch of HPB journalProduct launch

  Background

  The association required a dedicated scholarly channel for research and clinical knowledge concerning hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease.

  Action taken

  The IHPBA established HPB as its academic journal.

  Aftermath

  HPB became a central publishing and knowledge-sharing platform for the association and an official journal for several affiliated regional organizations.

  Source

• 1994

  Merger creating the IHPBAM&A

  Background

  The International Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Association and the World Association of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery operated as related but separate organizations serving overlapping specialist communities.

  Action taken

  The two organizations merged to create the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

  Aftermath

  The merger created the institutional basis for the association's recurring World Congress, international affiliations, publishing activities, and research programs.

  Source

1. 1International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Associationen.wikipedia.org