Today, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Board of Directors issued the following announcement:
The AACR has been closely monitoring the rapid escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The health and safety of all Annual Meeting attendees and the patients and communities they serve are the AACR’s highest priorities. Therefore, the AACR Board of Directors has made the decision not to move forward with an in-person Annual Meeting in August, and instead to present segments of the meeting program in two AACR Virtual Annual Meetings:
April 27–28, 2020: AACR Virtual Annual Meeting I. As previously announced, this Virtual Meeting will feature a selection of high-impact proffered paper presentations. The program will include a number of clinical trial plenary sessions featuring more than 30 oral presentations, along with perspectives on the science behind the clinical trials by expert discussants; clinical trial poster sessions; several mini-symposia that showcase basic and translational science; and three New Drugs on the Horizon symposia that include first disclosures of innovative small molecules and biologics that have recently entered phase I clinical trials. Access to AACR Virtual Annual Meeting I will be made freely available. The abstracts of these proffered paper presentations will be posted online at 12:01 AM EST (U.S.) on Monday, April 27.
June 22–24, 2020: AACR Virtual Annual Meeting II. The second Virtual Annual Meeting will present thousands of proffered papers in mini-symposia and in an e-poster platform. This meeting will also include an Opening Plenary Session with presentations on the latest developments in tumor biology and genetics (including the microenvironment), early detection, precision oncology, and cancer immunotherapies; the Presidential Address; the Presidential Select Symposium on precision pediatric cancer medicine; scientific merit and distinguished public service award lectures from individuals who have made contributions to the field; and a comprehensive educational program featuring about 70 educational sessions and methods workshops. Further details on the program, information regarding registration for AACR Virtual Annual Meeting II, and guidance in obtaining any refunds of registration fees for the in-person April 2020 Annual Meeting will be communicated as soon as possible. Abstracts of the proffered paper presentations presented in this Virtual Meeting will be posted online at 12:01 AM EST (U.S.) on Friday, May 15.
The AACR is dedicated to the rapid dissemination of innovative cancer research that has always been the hallmark of our Annual Meetings. We look forward to your participation in AACR Virtual Annual Meetings I and II, during which cutting-edge data from across the full spectrum of cancer science and medicine will be presented by scientists from around the world. Thank you for your support during this challenging global health crisis.”
For more information, read the organization’s FAQs on the original meeting cancelation and the new Virtual Meetings.
