The ATS has developed these instructions to assist you in the preparation of your session for the ATS International Conference. Please review them carefully.

Scientific Integrity

International Conference planners and presenters have diverse interests and relationships that contribute to the success of the Conference but may also cause potential or actual conflicts of interest (COI) that must be disclosed, reviewed, and managed to comply with Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) requirements. To accomplish this in the context of a large number of Conference sessions and diverse topics, ATS must rely heavily on each program committee, session organizer, chair, and speaker.

Please ensure that the following requirements are met as you organize and carry out your session:

• Independence, balance, and scientific rigor.
  • All participants in official ATS activities, including conference session organizers and speakers, are required to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.
  • Content must provide objective information based on scientific methods generally accepted in the medical community and be free of commercial bias.
  • Data presented should not be outdated.
• A balanced view of therapeutic options
  • Use of generic names will contribute to this impartiality and is preferred. If the presentation requires trade names, where available trade names from several companies should be used.
• Disclosure of relevant conflicts of interests (COI) to ATS and learners

*See the related ATS policy at http://conference.thoracic.org/speakers/index.php  

Corporate Support

The ATS reserves the right to seek corporate support in the form of educational grants for all the programs accepted for presentation at the International Conference. These grants are in support of the International Conference and are sought after sessions are approved and final programs are submitted. The grant relationship is between the American Thoracic Society and the supporting companies. Supporters have no input into the content of the program. The grants will not affect the disclosures of the faculty relationships with commercial interests.

Session Content

The most successful sessions provide enough time for a thorough review of each topic as well as time for general questions from the audience. Securing time after each talk for this discussion will provide the best experience for the audience. When communicating with your speakers, be sure to alert them to the amount of time for their actual talk and time for discussion after their talk.

Please review all instructions below before submitting your session workform.

In addition to the COI disclosure process noted above, all ATS session speakers will also be instructed to:

• Register for the conference. (All chairs and speakers must personally register.)
• Consult the Procedures for Electronic Presentations available on the ATS website in mid-late March.
• Complete the online Speaker Agreement Form prior to uploading presentations.
• Prepare and upload a PowerPoint presentation online according to ATS instructions.
• Refrain from using industry logos or brand names in PowerPoint presentations.
• Disclose relevant conflicts of interest onsite at the start of their presentation.
• Visit the Speaker Ready Room onsite to be sure your presentation is running correctly.