Philadelphia, PA (March 10, 2020) —The American College of Physicians (ACP) is canceling its annual scientific meeting, Internal Medicine Meeting 2020, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, CA, April 23-25, 2020. ACP’s decision is based on recent reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of rapidly escalating concerns about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and in recognition of the vital role of internal medicine physicians in diagnosing, managing and caring for their patients and communities on the front lines. Considering these factors, ACP felt the only responsible choice was to cancel.
ACP believes that ensuring the health and well-being of patients is always of paramount importance, particularly given these rapidly evolving circumstances. As the largest medical specialty organization in the U.S. with 159,000 members in more than 145 countries worldwide, ACP also recognizes its professional responsibility to consider the safety of its meeting participants by modeling social distancing and not contributing to the spread of the virus through a large public gathering such as its annual scientific meeting.
“Internists are at the forefront of patient care, and we are committed to supporting their primary responsibility of delivering high-quality care,” said Robert McLean, MD, MACP, president, ACP. “ACP is also committed to ensuring the health and safety of our meeting participants, in support of our mission, to enhance the quality and effectiveness of health care by fostering excellence and professionalism in the practice of medicine.”
ACP members and other meeting participants will be offered a refund. More information and details are available at annualmeeting.acponline.org.
To help internists and other clinicians prepare for, diagnose, and manage COVID-19 as it spreads in the U.S. and around the world, ACP will continue to update its ACP COVID-19 Resource Hub. This includes curated information and ACP’s "Novel Coronavirus: A Physician's Guide,” a free online learning activity that provides a clinical overview of infection control and patient care guidance.
***
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 159,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter and Instagram @acpinternists, and Facebook.
Contact: Edward Vassallo, (215) 351-2761, EVassallo@acponline.org