ENDO canceled due to COVID-19 concerns
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The Endocrine Society Board of Directors announced Monday that its annual meeting will be canceled, citing “an unprecedented health emergency” due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The meeting was scheduled to take place March 28-31 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. In a statement sent to registered meeting attendees Monday, the board stated it was in communication with leaders in the San Francisco Department of Public Health, who recently recommended cancelling or postponing large gatherings, such as conventions or large community events.
As Healio reported, institutions across the country are limiting employee travel and medical societies are canceling or postponing their annual medical conferences because of concerns about COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
“To add to our concerns, institutions across the world are restricting travel, making it impossible for many who have registered for ENDO 2020 to attend and enjoy the meeting,” Endocrine Society President E. Dale Abel, MD, PhD, said in the statement. “We have been clear all along that the health and safety of ENDO attendees, staff, exhibitors, and the San Francisco community are our highest priority. By holding the meeting we might not only put attendees at risk, but we may also displace health care workers during a public health crisis. This could occur because of the need to self-quarantine upon your return home or in the worse scenario contribute to spreading the virus to our attendees' hometowns.”
Abel called the situation “an unprecedented public health emergency.”
“As such, it is with a very heavy heart, that I am reporting to you that out of an abundance of caution, the Board of Directors has decided to cancel ENDO 2020,” Abel said.
Abel stated that attendees will be updated regarding refund information in another communication, which will be coming soon. He said members of the 2020 planning committee will work with the 2021 planning committee to incorporate “the best of ENDO 2020” into next year's meeting.
“We are also exploring ways in which we might be able to deliver to our registrants, content from ENDO 2020 in various venues in the coming year,” Abel said.
For the latest news on COVID-19 including case counts, information about the global public health response and emerging research, please visit the COVID-19 Resource Center on Healio.
Healio and Endocrine Today are following this news and will report on new developments. – by Regina Schaffer
Disclosure: E. Dale Abel, MD, PhD, is president of the Endocrine Society.