Diabetes and thyroid disorders are two of the most prevalent non-communicable chronic diseases worldwide - both with a heavy impact on quality of life and life expectancy. Diabetes is one of the largest and most alarming health emergencies of the 21 st century. It is worrisome that the pandemic of diabetes is far from slowing; the most recent estimates by the International Diabetes Federation (7 th IDF Atlas, 2015) show that 415 million people are affected by diabetes and its complications which are major causes of disability and premature death. Diabetes is preventable if the earliest disorders of glucose metabolism - namely, impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance - are promptly identified and treated.

Thyroid disorders are also very common - especially in iodine deficient countries. Thyroid nodules can be detected in up to 68 per cent of randomly selected individuals, more frequently in women and the elderly, and thyroid cancer occurs in 7 to 15 per cent depending on age, sex and other risk factors. Luckily there is a large-scale effort to face the global burden of both diabetes and thyroid disorders leading to new research achievements which are to be implemented in clinical practice. This meeting has been organized by EXCEMED to review the most recent and significant research advancements in the fields of prediabetes, diabetes and thyroid diseases, with the goal of having immediate clinical impact. Roundtables, workshops and interactive clinical cases will facilitate exchange between audience and faculty members.