Author: [AUTHOR] Published on 3/4/2020 2:00:00 PM

Dear Colleague, 

In recent weeks, ASCPT has remained committed to finalizing all planning for the 2020 Annual Meeting, inclusive of ensuring a healthy and safe meeting experience for our attendees in response to COVID-19. ASCPT’s Board of Directors and staff have diligently tracked all guidance from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine and implement protective measures against the spread of the virus at our meeting. We have also worked to respond to and reassure those who have reached out with concerns about traveling to the meeting and attending a large gathering of individuals from around the world. Our industry colleagues located in the US have alerted us to travel bans that would prevent many of them from joining us in Houston. Further, as COVID-19 has spread, reaching and impacting our colleagues in China, Japan, Italy, S. Korea, and the UK, along with many other nations, and now builds momentum within the US, it is increasingly clear that proceeding with our conference would place our members, attendees, colleagues, and friends at unnecessary risk. Therefore, after significant consideration and debate, we are reaching out to inform you that the ASCPT 2020 Annual Meeting is being cancelled. 

ASCPT does not take this unprecedented decision lightly, but our primary concern must be focused on the safety and well-being of our members and attendees. Over the coming months, the Society has many steps to take, including determining and analyzing the financial impact of this drastic, but necessary, cancellation of our largest event. While we recognize our decision to cancel as the right one, the Society’s contracts with our many vendors and host hotel require that we work in coordination with our legal counsel and insurance provider to make every effort to ensure the least possible financial loss to our organization and its members.  Unfortunately, it may still be significant, and we ask for your patience as we work through the process.  Please understand that until we have additional information, will be unable to make any decision regarding revisions to the Society’s cancellation policy for registration refunds. 

Through all of this, we remain committed to you and we will make every effort to be transparent about this situation. We will soon plan an ASCPT Town Hall webinar with the Board of Directors, enabling a platform for discussion, questions, and answers. Please watch for messaging on this offering. Finally, we thank our members and colleagues for their tremendous efforts toward the meeting. Whether your role was as a member of the Scientific Program Committee, a Network or Community leader, a speaker, a session chair, an exhibitor, a sponsor, or an attendee, we are immensely grateful for the time, energy, and expertise you offered.

The ASCPT Annual Meeting will return stronger in 2021 and will again bring together our vibrant community to celebrate achievements in the field, explore and discuss cutting-edge science, and spend invaluable time interacting for the betterment of clinical pharmacology and translational science. We look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC, March 9-13. 

We will be in touch in the coming weeks with additional information. In the meantime, we implore anyone who was required to cancel registration based on organizational travel restriction or ban, or physician recommendation, to contact meetings@ascpt.org with details. We also ask for your patience and understanding as we find our way through this unfortunate situation that was largely beyond our control. 

Please remember that you are responsible for cancelling your hotel reservation. To cancel your existing reservation with the Marriott Marquis Hotel, please refer to the “modify or cancel your reservation here” link contained within your hotel confirmation.  Alternatively, please call the hotel directly at 713-654-1777.

To our colleagues who have been impacted by COVID-19, and to everyone as we face this pandemic together, our thoughts and support are with you. 

Sincerely,
David Y. Mitchell, PhD
President