Policies and Procedures

Thank you for your interest in covering the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium^® (SABCS^®). SABCS is presented by UT Health San Antonio and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Every year, the Symposium brings together breast cancer researchers and clinicians from around the world, providing an ideal format to present new and late-breaking data as well as other pertinent information, such as developments in diagnostics. 

We welcome and encourage news media to attend and participate in this annual Symposium, either in-person or virtually. Please see the policies and guidelines below for media covering the Symposium. 

Julia Gunther, Director of Public Relations, AACR 
Phone: 770-403-7690
Email: julia.gunther@aacr.org

Contact Julia with any inquiries about press policies, the scientific press program, press office operations and press conferences. She is the primary point of contact for national, international, local, and cancer trade press. 

We look forward to working with you.

Embargo 

Individuals registered as press for SABCS agree to abide by all embargoes. In advance of the Symposium, registered press will receive press program abstracts, press releases, and other materials under embargo to facilitate accurate and comprehensive reporting. Failure to abide by the embargoes may result in suspension of credentials for the Symposium and removal from pre-embargo press lists.

Presenters, their companies/institutions, and affiliated public relations representatives who break SABCS's embargo policy as outlined below could jeopardize placement of their abstracts in the scientific program and inclusion in the press program.

Embargo Policy

With the exception of those selected for the official SABCS press program, abstracts will be posted to the SABCS website at a date in November 2024 to be determined soon. Embargoes on those abstracts lift as soon as they are available online. Abstracts selected for the press program will post online and lift embargo as outlined below.

Press Program

Abstracts selected for the official SABCS press program are embargoed until the date and time of presentation, either at an official SABCS press conference or in a scientific session. Press program abstracts will be made publicly available once the embargo lifts.

Public information officers or public relations firms representing academia or industry with abstracts in the official press program should work closely with the SABCS public relations team to coordinate publicity efforts and ensure that embargo and outside press release policies are understood and followed.

Outside Press Releases

Public information officers or public relations firms representing academia or industry with abstracts scheduled for presentation at the meeting can issue press releases on any information that is publicly available via the SABCS website.

For data news releases issued before the meeting, you may ONLY include information that is available in the abstract once it is published online. Additional or updated data that are not in the abstract but will be presented at the meeting are embargoed until the beginning of the session in which the study is featured.

Press releases about studies that will be or are presented during the Symposium should state that the data "will be/were presented during the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium," in either the first or second paragraph of the release.

Registration

Press Registration

SABCS provides complimentary Symposium registration to professional journalists for the express purpose of gathering news and information to produce media coverage of the meeting. Press registration is intended for representatives of news media outlets that produce original editorial news coverage and have complete editorial freedom from sponsors and advertisers.

To register as press, journalists must provide:

• Official press credentials such as a business card, editorial roster or masthead, international press card, or letter of assignment.

• Bylined coverage from a recent SABCS, or for first-time attendees, two examples of recent bylined health/medical/science coverage.

Freelance journalists without a letter of assignment may be eligible for press registration if they can provide a summary of their reasons and goals for attending the meeting and: bylined coverage from a recent SABCS, or for first-time attendees, two examples of recent bylined health/medical/science coverage published in news outlets that meet the Symposium's criteria.

Members of the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) who can provide proof of membership are permitted to register as press, regardless of assignment.

Broadcast television and radio crews must present valid press credentials from their respective media outlets.

Journalists working for medical and scientific journals must have proof of an editorial news assignment to register, and the publication must have a regularly appearing news section or special scientific meetings news section. Journal editors attending for the purpose of soliciting manuscripts and other submissions, advertising, or subscriptions from meeting attendees or exhibitors are not permitted to register as press.

SABCS will consider requests from bloggers, book authors, documentary film crews, and other potential registrants not covered by the above criteria for press registration on a case-by-case basis.

All press registration decisions are made at the discretion of SABCS. SABCS may request additional information before approving a press registration request. Please note: registration in a prior year does not guarantee eligibility for the 2024 SABCS.

You may request complimentary press registration for SABCS by using the form linked below:

PIO Registration

Public information officers (PIOs) and communications professionals from educational institutions, government agencies, and nonprofit cancer research organizations are welcome to register for complimentary access to the meeting, press office, and press briefing room. Each institution is allowed up to two complimentary PIO registrations.

You may request complimentary registration by using the form linked below:

Please contact Kathleen Venango at kathleen.venango@aacr.org or 215-290-5408 with any questions about the registration process.

Other Registration Inquiries

Advertising, marketing, public relations, and other communications representatives affiliated with industry and outside firms do not qualify for complimentary meeting access. These attendees must register as regular attendees and pay the required registration fee.

Press Materials

Press kits are available only for registered members of the press; others are advised to visit the Symposium website.

An area in the press office will be designated for non-Symposium news releases (e.g. those provided by institutions, exhibitors, or industry). Only press materials, not promotional materials, will be permitted in the press office, and materials must specifically pertain to scientific research presented at the Symposium. Each release will be reviewed by press office staff to ensure they include the required information. These releases will not be endorsed by the Symposium and will be so designated.

Press releases about data released during the Symposium should state that the data "were presented during the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium," in either the first or second paragraph of the release.

General Information

All scientific sessions of the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium are open to registered press. 

Photo and Video Policies

Still cameras are granted access to all areas of the Symposium. Flash photography is not allowed in an effort to minimize disturbance to attendees. Camera crews filming in meeting areas other than the press office, press briefing room, or immediate vicinity of these areas must always be accompanied by a press office staff member.

For additional information regarding the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, contact:

Julia Gunther
Telephone: 770-403-7690
Email: julia.gunther@aacr.org

Violation of Symposium Policies

SABCS reserves the right to bar, from this and future symposia, any registered reporter or outlet who does not follow the above policies by engaging in behavior including but not limited to:

• attempting to solicit manuscripts, advertising, or subscriptions from meeting exhibitors or attendees;
• deliberately promoting the marketing objectives of a single company;
• misusing media privileges to engage in activities other than journalistic pursuits.

 Violation of embargo policies can also result in similar action.