The American Association for Cancer Research said plans to screen registrants and exhibitors from SARS-affected areas attending its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., next month.
AACR entered into an agreement with International SOS, a medical and security assistance company, to screen attendees from SARS-affected nations prior to their travel to the meeting.
A questionnaire based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control will identify people who may have been exposed to SARS patients or who are experiencing symptoms characteristic of the respiratory illness, AACR said.
“We at the AACR place a premium on the safety of those attending our meetings, including those registrants who care for immune-compromised patients with cancer,” said Margaret Foti, AACR chief executive officer. “This protocol, developed by AACR with International SOS, will give us added protection at our annual meeting.”
Individuals who do not “pass” the questionnaire will be asked to visit their doctor and obtain written permission to travel to, and attend, the meeting, AACR said. The meeting is scheduled for July 11-14, at the the Washington Convention Center.
Further information about the screening is available at www.internationalsos.com and www.aacr.org.
