25 February, 2026
Organisers have hailed the success of the recent ERS Respiratory Failure and Mechanical Ventilation (RFMV) Conference 2026 after it attracted a record number of delegates.
The onsite attendance at RFMV 2026 – which took place earlier this month in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and online – grew by 43% compared to the previous event in 2024, with almost 200 delegates also joining online.
Despite this growth, the event’s organising committee were delighted with the way that the event “carefully preserved its unique, intimate atmosphere” – which provided delegates with opportunities for direct networking and meaningful interactions with experts.
An engaging, high-quality programme – with fantastic networking opportunities
RFMV 2026 brought together cutting-edge insights on acute and chronic respiratory failure in both paediatric and adult patients – facilitating a multidisciplinary approach to advance care and treatment.
The conference programme gave an overview of a wide range of topics, with highly diversified content, state-of-the-art insights, and updates on treatments. The programme also covered controversial subjects and featured a portfolio of workshops, all of which were fully booked.
Dr Marieke Duiverman, RFMV 2026 Co-Chair, said: “The RFMV Conference once again proved to be an outstanding success.
“Participants enjoyed a rich and diverse programme featuring high-quality sessions on both chronic and acute respiratory failure, engaging hands-on skills workshops, and ample opportunities to present and discuss their own research during oral and poster sessions — as well as in the lively conversations between sessions.”
A record number of participants – but the same friendly, close-knit atmosphere
Despite the significant increase in attendance, the conference kept its friendly, intimate atmosphere.
The high levels of interaction and engaging nature of the event were just as crucial to the conference’s success as the growth in attendance. A focus of conference organisers of future events will be on retaining the quality and diversity of the conference programme while maintaining consistent registration numbers.
“Over the years, the conference has evolved into a well-established event with real impact, while carefully preserving its unique, intimate atmosphere,” said Marieke.
“It remains a place where professionals come together to learn, exchange ideas, and draw inspiration from leading experts and peers alike.”
Almost 90 early-career researchers given the opportunity to present their work
Another highlight of the event was the fact that almost 90 early-career respiratory professionals who had abstracts accepted for RFMV 2026 were given an opportunity to present their findings at the event – either as an oral presentation, or during the conference’s plenary poster sessions – with 68 authors presenting posters in front of peers and an evaluating expert.
This meant that as many as 90 early-career professionals were given the opportunity to present their findings in front of their peers and world-renowned experts in their specialist field.
Registered delegates for RFMV 2026 can access replay content until August, 2026.