AACR postpones annual meeting due to COVID-19 concerns
American Association for Cancer Research’s board of directors has postponed the AACR Annual Meeting due to concerns related to the novel coronavirus.
The meeting had been scheduled for April 24-29 in San Diego.
A rescheduled meeting is being planned for later this year, according to an association-issued press release.
Association representatives made the decision after reviewing several factors related to the COVID-19 outbreak, including the U.S. government’s enforcement of restrictions on international travelers entering the country; the implementation of travel restrictions issued by U.S. government agencies, cancer centers, academic institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies; and the recommendations of infectious disease experts.
“It is clear that all of these elements significantly affect the ability of delegates, speakers, presenters of proffered papers, and exhibitors to participate fully in the annual meeting,” the association’s statement read. “The health, safety, and security of all annual meeting attendees and the patients and communities they serve are the AACR’s highest priorities. [Although] we believe that the decision to postpone the meeting is absolutely the correct one to safeguard our meeting participants from further potential exposure to the coronavirus, we also understand that this is a disappointing one for our stakeholders.”
An estimated 24,000 people from 80 countries — along with more than 500 exhibitors — were expected to participate in the meeting.
“We recognize that the presentation of new data, exchange of information, and opportunities for collaboration offered by the AACR Annual Meeting are highly valued by the entire cancer research community, and we are investigating options for rescheduling the annual meeting in the near future,” the statement read. “We thank all of our stakeholders for their patience and support at this time. Additional information regarding hotel reservation cancellations, registration refunds, and meeting logistics is available on the FAQ page on the AACR website. We will announce the dates and location of the rescheduled AACR Annual Meeting 2020 as soon as they are confirmed.”