September often marks the transition back to school. In the world of medical research, it heralds the start of conference season.
The European Society of Cardiology Conference 2013 wrapped up a five-day program in Amsterdam that the organization said drew 30,000 delegates from around the world. The event included numerous late-breaking clinical trials dealing with a spectrum of cardiovascular treatments.
Several findings were neutral or negative. Knowledge—even when it is disappointing—often proves useful, though. Insights gleaned in TASTE, TAO and others may help inform other studies and approaches to patient care.
Looking forward, the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference will celebrate its 25th year with its annual symposium, this year scheduled for Oct. 27 through Nov. 1 in San Francisco. Organizers will unveil the list of late-breaking clinical trials in the near future.
In the meantime, the American Heart Association has released its lineup of clinical trials for its scientific sessions in Dallas. This year’s event runs Nov. 16 - 20. Besides the trials, the program will include 19 special reports.
Within the past year or two, the scientific conferences of these organizations, as well as the American College of Cardiology, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, the Heart Rhythm Society and others, have met the challenge of making what can be a mega-event into a more intimate experience. They have transformed websites into user-friendly gateways, developed apps and provided video and other tools to help attendees make the most of their time.
We look forward to sharing more details about the upcoming conferences as they become available. Please let us know what you most anticipate and how we can best provide the information you need.
Candace Stuart
Cardiovascular Business, editor