Thank you for your interest in covering the 2020 Virtual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium^® (SABCS^®). SABCS is presented by UT Health San Antonio, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and Baylor College of Medicine. It 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, including diagnostic developments. In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, the SABCS Executive Committee has made the decision, out of necessity to ensure the health, safety, and security of all SABCS attendees and the patients and communities they serve, to hold the 2020 SABCS virtually. We welcome and encourage news media to attend and participate virtually in this annual symposium. The following policies and guidelines have been prepared for news media covering the meeting. 

Media contacts for the symposium are: 

Julia Gunther, Associate Director of Public Relations, AACR 
770-403-7690

julia.gunther@aacr.org

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

Jill Byrd, Public Relations Consultant, UT Health San Antonio
210-501-4288

sabcs@uthscsa.edu

Contact Jill with any inquiries about the administration and history of SABCS, and social media. She is the primary point of contact for all local San Antonio press.

We look forward to working with you.

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 an abstract's placement in the scientific program and inclusion in the press program.

Embargo Details
With the exception of those selected for the official SABCS press program, abstracts will be posted to the SABCS website November 17, 2020. Embargoes on those abstracts lift as soon as they are available online. Abstracts selected for the press program will post online and lift embargo throughout the Symposium

Outside Press Releases

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

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

For abstracts not in the press program:
For data news releases issued before the meeting, you may ONLY include information that is available in the online abstract. 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 where the study is featured.

Press releases about data released during the Symposium should state that the data "was presented during the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium," in either the first or second paragraph of the release.

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.

Please contact Julia Gunther with any questions about eligibility prior to the meeting, as all registrations are subject to review and approval by SABCS. 

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, and 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 SABCS'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.

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, social media influencers, 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: prior-year registration does not guarantee eligibility for the 2020 SABCS.

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.  Each institution is allowed up to two complimentary PIO registrations.

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.

To register, contact Kathleen Venango at kathleen.venango@aacr.org.

For further information, please contact Julia Gunther at julia.gunther@aacr.org or 770-403-7690 or Jill Byrd at sabcs@uthscsa.edu or 210-501-4288. 

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

Press releases about data released during the Symposium should state that the data "was presented during the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium," in either the first or second paragraph of the release.

All scientific sessions of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium are open to registered press. Scientific sessions will be recorded and archived within 24-48 hours of presentation.

For information prior to and after the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, contact:

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

Jill Byrd
Telephone: 210-501-4288
Email: sabcs@uthscsa.edu

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.