APA cancels 2020 Annual Meeting, will offer online educational resource
The APA has announced it will not hold its 2020 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia because of public health guidance and numerous travel restrictions associated with the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The association is working to instead offer an online educational product this spring with presenters who had been scheduled for the meeting, which was set for April 25 to 29.
“After careful deliberations, we came to the conclusion it is not possible to hold the APA’s 2020 Annual Meeting,” Bruce Schwartz, MD, APA president, said in a press release. “A large number of our physician members are restricted by their respective institutions from traveling to conferences and meetings to help stop the spread of COVID-19, making it impossible for lecturers and registrants to attend the medical conference. The latest information from the [CDC] and Pennsylvania health authorities supports our judgment that travel restrictions, meeting restrictions and social distancing are the required, safe and responsible actions. Public health must come first.”
The APA will release further details on the online educational product, registration and refunds via its meeting website, psychiatry.org/annualmeeting.
“We are in the midst of a public health emergency and must not add to the spread of the disease,” Saul Levin, MD, MPA, APA CEO and medical director, said in the release. “Our doctors are needed to treat patients who are affected by the disease and its mental health impacts. [Although] we understand that not holding the meeting may interfere with attaining required CME credits, we are working to disseminate scientific knowledge online.”
Disclosures: Levin and Schwartz are employees of the APA.