ISMICS 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting Cancellation Notice
ISMICS has been closely monitoring updates and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and from the World Health Organization (WHO) (including its declaration of a global pandemic), as well as from state and local governments (including states of emergencies and bans on gatherings). We have also been actively following travel advisories and restrictions being placed on hospitals and institutions, and we know that an ever-increasing number of our members are on the front lines facing the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide. Based on all of these factors, it is with heavy hearts that the ISMICS has made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel its 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting, which was to have taken place 4-6 June 2020, in Warsaw, Poland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the ISMICS 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting canceled?
We have been closely monitoring updates and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as state and local governments. We have also been actively following travel advisories and restrictions being placed on hospitals and institutions. The health, safety, and well-being of our members, staff, exhibitors, faculty, and patients is of paramount importance. With an ever-increasing number of our members on the front lines of preparing and reacting to the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, it is in the best interest of everyone to cancel the meeting.
Will the ISMICS Annual Meeting be postponed until a later date or rescheduled?
Meetings the size of the ISMICS Annual Meeting are planned years in advance, with the number of faculty members involved in planning sessions and science, as well as careful coordination with venues large enough to accommodate the ISMICS Annual Meeting. As such, rescheduling is not a viable option. The ISMICS Annual Meeting will be rescheduled to 17 – 19 June 2021. We are committed to bringing the education and science directly to our members.
How will we handle registration refunds?
In response to this unique situation, our leadership is considering adjusting our policy for this one year only. ISMICS will provide registration refunds on your request or your registration fees can be credited toward your 2020 membership dues or the 2021 Annual Meeting. . If you are asking for a refund, please note that ISMICS currently has hundreds of registrations, all of which will require individual processing. We ask for your patience as we work to accommodate our valued members and guests.
Will attendees be refunded for hotel costs?
No, we will not refund hotel costs. For the attendees who made hotel reservations, please call the Hilton Warsaw Hotel and Convention Centre directly to cancel your reservation: +48 22 356 55 55. Please note we encourage you to cancel your hotel reservations as soon as possible.
Will attendees be refunded for airline tickets?
No, we will not refund individual airline ticket costs. Please contact your airline directly regarding ticket cancellations. If you purchased travel insurance, please contact your provider for information and next steps.
Will any sessions be made available virtually?
We are working hard on virtual options that will allow for dissemination of the critical science and education that you expect from ISMICS. We will be in contact with presenters with more information in the coming days. Stay tuned for more information.
What happens if I submitted an abstract?
The ISMICS Executive Officers and 2020 Program Chairs have met virtually to review plans for 2020 and 2021, and we are pleased to offer you the following options for the abstract submitted for your 2020 presentation:
If you wish to be considered to present your abstract in 2021 at the rescheduled meeting in Warsaw, Poland
- Any accepted 2020 Abstracts can be re-submitted and will receive preferential consideration for next year’s Annual Meeting. There will be a special checkbox for you to indicate that this abstract had already been selected for 2020. Whenever possible, please update or supplement your research with additional data, and please note that this updating and/or supplementation was done in the opening line of your abstract. ISMICS always wants to offer our attendees the most up to date work, so updating your abstract if possible is strongly encouraged.
If you will be resubmitting your work to the 2021 Annual Meeting, we ask that you wait to send your manuscript to Innovations until next year.
If you do not wish to be considered for 2021, we offer two options
- Any abstract presenters who do not plan to resubmit for 2021 are invited to record their presentation – adding audio to their slides, and send it to the ISMICS Administrative Offices, where it will be housed on the ISMICS Website and promoted as part of the ISMICS 2020 Scientific Program.
- If you have already selected this option in the earlier survey we sent, we will be in touch with the specific presentation format details shortly.
- If you did not select this option yet but would like to do this, please let us know by mailing Brittany Fiore at bfiore@prri.com.
Please note that if you select this option, you may not resubmit your abstract for the 2021 Annual Meeting.
For those choosing this option, you are invited to submit your manuscript to Innovations at this time.
- You can withdraw your abstract now without any penalty and submit it to another scientific meeting.
ISMICS understands the importance of timely presentation of your data, and there will be no penalty for withdrawing and submitting elsewhere; we fully support your decision and hope that you will submit new material for consideration for ISMICS 2021.