The Vascular Access Society (VAS) was founded on 30 October 1997, during the 3rd International Congress on Access for Dialysis in Maastricht, the Netherlands. The objectives of this new society are to raise interest in the field of hemodialysis vascular access, to promote and conduct basic and clinical research and to organize congresses, meetings and courses.
The VAS is a multidisciplinary society which is of interest to nephrologists, surgeons, interventional radiologists, nurses, vascular and radiological technologists and operation theatre nurses. The VAS will organize an International Congress every two years in one of the countries in Europe. Every year a Vascular Access Course will be held in an European City. The multidisciplinary council of the VAS consists of nephrologists, surgeons and radiologists and representatives from each European country will be asked to join the board.