Friday Satellite Symposia Guidelines and Application

There are four time slots available in accordance with the time zone of the annual meeting’s location:

• 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (nonprofit-sponsored symposia only)
• 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

FSS Organizers may utilize the three-hour assigned time slot as they wish. Please note, ASH will advertise time slots in the entirety, as listed above, on the website and in promotional and printed materials.

• ASH cannot guarantee the preferred time slot and cannot guarantee that the program will be scheduled unopposed to other presentations covering similar topics.
• All symposium rooms will be assigned based on the estimated number of attendees per the FSS application. All rooms will be set in banquet rounds and we are unable to accommodate deviations from this standard room set.
• Access to the symposium rooms will be given 45 minutes prior to the start time. FSS rooms are re-used for each time slot, so earlier access and significant room set changes are not feasible. Requests for additional setup time may be accommodated, based on availability, and will be subject to additional fees.

Non-Profit FSS

• ASH prioritizes symposia organized by non-profit organizations during the 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. time slot and offers a reduced rate for non-profit organizations that choose to participate in this time slot.
• Any Organizer requesting the non-profit rates will be required to provide proof of non-profit status, such as an IRS Determination Letter, with the application.
• If there is a Co-Organizer for the symposia, both companies must demonstrate non-profit status to take advantage of the discounted rate.
• Non-profit organizations choosing the afternoon or evening time slots must pay the standard rate.
• In special circumstances, pharmaceutical companies providing funding support for a non-profit-organized symposium may request that their program be held during the 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. time slot; however, the standard rate will apply.

• FSS can be offered in-person, virtual only, or both. FSS Organizers are responsible for providing ASH with a link (masked behind a button; no vanity links necessary) to the virtual program content. Included with the standard and non-profit rates, all Organizers are permitted to have a virtual component (live and enduring) for their session. ASH will post program links on the FSS page of the ASH Annual Meeting webpage on hematology.org and on the ASH meeting mobile app.
• For an additional fee (see fee details below), ASH will livestream in-person FSS to the ASH virtual meeting platform. Program link (masked behind a button; no vanity links necessary) submissions are due to ASH by November 15, 2024, to [email protected].

• Broadcast FSS to the ASH virtual audience - $25,000. Simultaneous livestream of in-person or inclusion of the virtual FSS link to the ASH virtual meeting platform is possible. All expenses associated with the opportunity, such as audio-visual, are the sole responsibility of the FSS Organizer. Program link submissions are due to ASH by Friday, November 15, 2024, to [email protected]. In 2023, the ASH platform had over 15,000 attendees!
• For in-person FSS, all faculty and presenters are required to travel to San Diego and participate on-site in their sessions. Registration at the annual meeting is not a requirement for admittance to the FSS.
• The virtual-only symposia are scheduled during one of the four FSS time slots (see Time Slots). All expenses associated with approved virtual FSS programs, such as audio-visual and non-ASH promotion are the sole responsibility of the FSS Organizer. ASH is not responsible for any charges incurred for the symposium.
• On-demand FSS programming opportunities are available to all FSS Organizers of both in-person and virtual sessions. The duration of on-demand content posted corresponds with the fee assessed for the FSS session. For example, FSS fees paid in the lowest range, $50,025-$124,150, are posted the shortest duration. FSS fees paid in the highest range, $66,025-$160,025, are posted the longest duration. On-demand dates will be available late-summer

Only organizations accredited by the ACCME are permitted to sponsor CME activities and must award AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. These accredited providers are responsible for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of all CME-accredited activities

ASH does not suggest content or speakers for activities for which it is not the accredited provider. ASH encourages all CME providers participating in the FSS to review the current ACCME Standards for Commercial Support. These standards, along with tools to implement them, can be found at www.accme.org.

• Speakers must disclose relevant conflicts of interest prior to the CME activity. A written disclosure slide must precede each presentation.
• Speakers must provide appropriate disclosures of non-FDA approved (off-label) uses for drugs and medical devices.
• References must be included with data and slides.
• There must be an appropriate evaluation of symposium content and speakers, as well as a final attendance count. Please email the evaluation summary by Wednesday, January 31, 2025 to [email protected].

• A formal study section will score applications based on the quality of the program content as described in the proposal. The study section will be looking for scientific merit, audience interest in the topic, and uniqueness of the symposium (i.e., not like any of the ASH Education Program or Scientific Program sessions or duplicating one of last year’s FSS).
• This score will determine which symposia are selected as well as the assigned time slot. ASH cannot guarantee the preferred time slot. ASH cannot guarantee that the program will be scheduled unopposed by other presentations covering similar topics.
• The study section’s scores are confidential, and the decision of the study section is final.
• After the study section scores the applications, ASH will email acceptance notifications to the Organizer. The Organizer for each approved symposium will also receive an invoice. Detailed instructions about logistics (including time slot, venue room assignments, and audio/visual contacts), will be sent in accordance with the ‘Important Dates and Deadlines’ section of the guidelines.
• It is essential to retain your login credentials during the application process, as you will need them to edit program content following study section review and approval.

Please note, applicants for the FSS may not contact the study section, ASH members, or the ASH Executive Committee to influence selection for the FSS presentations.

Please review the FSS Prohibited Speaker List (available mid-March and updated throughout the year). Please continue to communicate the below policies with proposed FSS faculty and to check the prohibited list, as updates will continue to be made throughout the year.

• 2024 ASH Executive Committee
• 2024 ASH Honorific and Mentor Award recipients (Available in March and updated throughout the year)
• 2024 ASH Program Committee
• 2024 ASH Annual Meeting Accredited Education Committee
• 2024 ASH Standing Committee chairs and editors
• 2024 ASH CME Accreditation Committee
• 2024 ASH Committee on Educational Affairs
• 2024 and 2024 ASH Education Program and Scientific Program co-chairs (Available in March)
• 2024 ASH Annual Meeting Invited Program faculty (chairs, moderators, speakers, and panelists). Names available beginning in March and updated throughout the year. Programs include:
• 2024 ASH Annual Meeting Scientific Program
• 2024 ASH Annual Meeting Education Program
• 2024 ASH Annual Meeting General Sessions, Presidential Symposium, ASH-EHA Joint Symposium, and named lectures (includes Honorific Award winners in the current year).
• 2024 ASH Annual Meeting Trainee Events
• Any other 2024 ASH Annual Meeting Special Sessions
• 2024 Scientific Workshops (SW); speakers, chairs and moderators are NOT allowed to participate in both FSW and FSS. ASH advises FSS Organizers to confirm this policy with secured FSS speakers to avoid late speaker substitutions. ASH does not invite nor confirm speakers for SW or FSS so the decision upon which program to speak is determined solely by the individual speaker being invited. (Available in July and updated throughout the year)
  
  Note: Speakers from the Meet-the-Expert sessions (Trainee Career Development Lunches, Meet the Scientist and How I Treat: Bringing Science to Clinical Dilemmas) are allowed to participate in the FSS, unless otherwise involved in the above-named groups.

All ASH standing committee members can be found on the ASH website. Disclosure information for each chair/speaker/panelist must be submitted to ASH with the application. There are no exceptions.

FSS faculty (chairs, speakers, panelists, etc.) can participate in only one symposium. It is the responsibility of the FSS Organizer to ensure that their speakers have not committed to speak at another symposium before submitting the application. If ASH receives two applications listing the same speaker, the symposium with the lower score will be rejected.

Letters of invitation to the speakers must clearly state that ASH expects that speakers will not substitute participation in an FSS program for participation in ASH's Education or Scientific Program sessions.

ASH requests that no more than six (6) speakers present at each symposium. For in-person FSS, all faculty and presenters are required to travel to San Diego and participate on-site in their sessions. Registration at the annual meeting is not a requirement for admittance to the FSS.

• To ensure that all FSS abide by venue safety as well as ingress and egress policies, each FSS will be provided with two staff from ASH’s security vendor, RA Consulting. The security vendor will assist with line control as well as safe entry and exit out of the FSS meeting rooms. RA Consulting staff are not available to assist with registration, passing out materials, or any other aspects of the FSS program. If an FSS program exceeds the contracted number of attendees and the increased number will impact the safety of all attendees and/or violate the posted maximum capacity of the room as determined by the venue and Fire Marshal, ASH reserves the right to limit entry to additional attendees, regardless of any pre-registration status.

• All symposium room assignments are final. Assignments are based on the estimated number of attendees per the FSS application and set in banquet rounds. We are unable to accommodate deviations from this standard room set. Any questions regarding your room setup may be sent to Heather Winston at [email protected].
• Access to the symposium rooms will be given 45 minutes prior to the start time. FSS rooms are re-used for each time slot, thus earlier access and significant room set changes are not feasible. Requests for additional setup time may be accommodated, based on availability, and will be subject to additional fees.
• Rooms may be set with more seats than requested in the application, because FSS rooms are shared between multiple groups. If you have extra seats, you must still adhere to your estimated attendance, or you will be subject to fees for the additional attendees.
• Symposium lectures must be contained within your assigned room. Video overflow to adjacent rooms or foyers will not be permitted.

Speaker ready rooms are available based on the schedule outlined below. Please indicate whether you require a speaker ready room on your application. These rooms are set with conference tables for eight (8), and are typically shared between multiple groups, so requests for access to the speaker ready room outside of these times must be submitted at the time of your application and will be accommodated on a case-by-case basis pending space availability.

• 7:00 - 10:00 a.m. Symposia: Thursday from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Symposia: Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Symposia: Friday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Symposia: Friday from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

• One room will be provided to use for both the symposium and food and beverage; there will be no exceptions. Please be as accurate as possible when submitting your attendance number so we can ensure the room size is adequate as changes to room assignment will not be possible once assignments are made.
• All food service must occur within the assigned time frame.
• It is the responsibility of the FSS Organizer to make food service arrangements with their assigned venue contact, which will be provided by ASH following program approval.
• Friday, November 1, 2024, is the submission deadline for catering.

• ASH requires all FSS Organizers to use Freeman Audio Visual, ASH’s official audio/visual (A/V) company, for all programs. Once your application is accepted, contact information will be sent to all Organizers.

• FSS Organizers are responsible for A/V fees, including A/V crew meals and costs for security.

• Freeman Audio Visual can also assist with any multimedia needs (e.g., webcasts and publications).

• All slide presentations must be submitted in 16:9 aspect ratio.

• Friday, November 1, 2024, is the submission deadline for A/V. For more information, please contact Heather Winston at [email protected].

• One (1) 38”x87” meter panel easel back, poster, banner with an affixed box of program handouts per FSS program is permitted directly outside of the symposium room, next to the session’s registration desk. The sign may be placed during FSS session set-up on Friday, December 6, 2024. Access to the symposium rooms will be given 45 minutes prior to the start time. Signage posted prior to December 6 will be removed and discarded by ASH. Please note, in addition to the official ASH meeting mobile app, there will be directionals provided within venue(s) for attendees to reference.
• No additional signage, nor promotional materials or structures will be allowed, including but not limited to: registration table backdrops, directional signs, logoed seating areas, furniture covers, gobos, video monitors, kiosks or projectors utilized outside of the meeting room to digitally promote a session. Organizers will be asked to remove additional promotional items found, or the items will be removed and discarded by ASH.
• Organizers, CME Providers, and Commercial Supporters will not be permitted to post promotional signs or literature in hotel or convention center lobbies.
• Sandwich boards, human directional and/or persons handing out promotional materials are prohibited in all venue areas. Standing in the public areas of the convention center or hotel lobby and hallway closely monitored during FSS, and companies found violating these guidelines risk penalties from ASH. The Organizer handling logistics is responsible for adhering to these guidelines as well.
• Any signage found in non-approved locations will be removed and discarded by ASH.
• Any signage not collected at the conclusion of your session may incur a fee for removal and disposal.
  ASH must review and approve all signage produced in conjunction with the FSS. The deadline to submit promotional materials for ASH approval is November 1, 2024. Please submit to Kelly Cade at [email protected], and allow up to five business days for ASH to consider requests for approval.

As a promotional benefit to Organizers hosting an FSS, ASH will provide the following:

• FSS will be included in the official 66th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition mobile app, providing exposure and directional ease for both Organizers and attendees.
• A listing of each symposium, including narrative description, location, and contact information, in the 66th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition program.
• Four (4) email blasts to the 65th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition registered attendees, which will list the FSS title, time, and location. The 2023 e-blast schedule is as follows, and is subject to change:
• Monday, September 23, 2024
• Wednesday, October 23, 2024
• Friday, November 15, 2024
• Monday, December 2, 2024
• A flyer listing the FSS schedule and locations will be included in the door drop bags dispersed on Thursday evening for Friday, December 6, 2024, at various convention center hotels in San Diego, CA.
• The 2023 post-meeting and 2024 pre-registration attendee lists will also be available for purchase; pricing and the application can be found here. For mailing list inquiries and orders, please contact Kristin Hudson at 800-564-4220 or [email protected].

Pre-approval of all mailing pieces is required. Sample mail pieces must be emailed to [email protected]. The deadline to submit your mailing piece for approval along with the mailing list request form is November 22, 2024. Use of the ASH mailing lists is for one-time use to promote the FSS only. This will be closely monitored, and any companies found to have used the list more than once will face significant penalties.

• Printed and digital advertising will be available in San Diego exclusively through TriStar. For inquiries about available tactics, inventory, and pricing, please contact Nan Blunk at 913-491-4200 x457 or [email protected].
• The Blood Journals offer print, online and e-newsletter advertising for your symposia in October, November and December leading up to the 2023 ASH Annual Meeting in San Diego exclusively through Pharmaceutical Media, Inc.  For inquiries about available tactics, inventory, and pricing, please contact Joe Schuldner (212) 904-0377, [email protected].

Door Drops

• FSS Organizers will have the opportunity to promote their symposia through hotel room door drops. Your promotional piece will be delivered to 4,400 guest room doors. All inserts must be delivered to the advance warehouse. The deadline date for material arrival will be provided upon receipt of Hotel Door Drop Application along with proof of insert. ASH will arrange the delivery of the piece to be placed outside of guest rooms late Thursday evening, preceding the 65th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition. The rate for the Friday Satellite Symposia insert is $9,550, or $3,775 for non-profits, per insert. As an added benefit, FSS Organizers that are also exhibiting at the ASH annual meeting can promote booth space or other corporate-sponsored presentations in the Saturday and/or Sunday bags.

Participants interested in purchasing an insert can contact Kristin Hudson at [email protected]. The deadline for orders is October 11, 2024

Mailing Lists

• The 2023 post-meeting and 2024 pre-registration attendee lists will also be available for purchase. Please contact Kristin Hudson at 800-564-4220 or [email protected] for mailing list inquiries and orders.

Pre-approval of all mailing pieces is required. Sample mail pieces must be emailed to [email protected]. The deadline to submit your mailing piece for approval along with the mailing list request from November 22, 2024. Use of the ASH mailing lists is for one-time use to promote the FSS only. This will be closely monitored, and any companies found to have used the list more than once will face significant penalties.

Advertising

• Printed and digital advertising will be available in San Diego exclusively through TriStar. For inquiries about available tactics, inventory, and pricing, please contact Nan Blunk at 913-491-4200 x457 or [email protected].
• The Blood Journals offer print, online, and e-newsletter advertising for your symposia in October, November, and December leading up to the 2024 ASH Annual Meeting in San Diego exclusively through Pharmaceutical Media, Inc.  Please contact Joe Schuldner (212) 904-0377 or [email protected] for inquiries about available tactics, inventory, and pricing.

Advertisements and Marketing Policies

• Printed or digital advertising, marketing materials or publications may not be offered, distributed, or displayed at any ASH annual meeting venue or hotel, other than within the FSS room assigned. The only appropriate and acceptable venues for the distribution of advertising, publications, or marketing materials are on assigned registration tables, within the assigned session room, and the official ASH hotel door drop program
• Commercial firms and other organizations may not, for example, engage in marketing activities through the use of hotel television channels or distribute marketing materials in the convention center or hotels (e.g., giveaways, flyers, or door drops) unless through the official ASH Corporate Support Opportunities program. If you are interested in learning about available support opportunities, please contact Kristin Hudson at [email protected] or 703-631-6200.
• FSS Organizers and management companies will be restricted from advertising and marketing activities within a five-mile radius of the San Diego Convention Center, the Marriott Marquis San Diego, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, and Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Gaslamp District, and the airport. The display of printed or digital advertisements or marketing tactics outside of the assigned FSS room and targeted to attendees of the ASH annual meeting is prohibited during the period beginning three days before and continuing until three days after. Exempted activities can only be arranged through the official vendors for the ASH annual meeting. All other activities or using other vendors are considered prohibited activities.
  
  Official Vendor Contractors:
  • Airport advertising – TriStar Event Media
  • ASH News TV and publication advertising - Pharmaceutical Media, Inc. (PMI)
  • Sponsored items and pedicabs - SPARGO, Inc
• Activities that will not be allowed in this zone include but are not limited to:
  • Hanging banners
  • Static and mobile billboards
  • Building facades
  • Window or street decals
  • Advertising installations
  • Motor vehicle brandings (buses, taxis, boats, planes, street cars, ride shares, etc.)
  • Segways
  • Street teams
  • Literature distribution
  • Geofencing and geotargeting activities (including ads on ride share apps)
• *This is a partial list of activities. Be sure to check with show management for approval before planning ANY marketing activities at the 2024 ASH Annual Meeting.
• ASH reserves the right to halt any unapproved marketing activity and require the removal of any unapproved advertising materials. Companies or organizations found in violation of this policy will be required to immediately cease the unapproved activity, remove any advertising materials, and subject to a priority point reduction and other possible actions deemed necessary by ASH.
• While the San Diego International Airport is within the five-mile radius of the convention center, advertising at the airport is only permissible if Organizers exclusively arrange airport advertising through ASH’s official vendor, TriStar Event Media. Organizers may not purchase through any other supplier. All purchased advertisements must be reviewed and approved by ASH prior to deployment. The use of any name, logo, or trademark of ASH in any airport advertising is strictly prohibited without ASH’s advance written consent. Failure to adhere to these guidelines will result in immediate removal of the advertisement and enforcement of penalties as outlined in the “Violations” section of these guidelines. If you are interested in learning about airport advertising, please contact Nan Blunk at [email protected] or 913-378-2457

HOTEL DOOR HANGERS

• Exclusive per day, rights only (Product or Corporate). Display a door hanger with your customized message on guest room doors at the official ASH hotels. This is a rights only opportunity and the sponsor is responsible for hotel distribution for hotel distribution charges and the cost of producing the door hangers. Pricing is per day. Please contact Kristin Hudson at 800-564-4220 or [email protected] for door hanger inquiries and orders.

• ASH requests that a one-page evaluation summary report, including a final attendance count, be sent to the ASH at [email protected] no later than January 31, 2025.
• Please keep in mind that CME enduring materials are different from syllabus materials or other printed or electronic records of the symposium. Enduring materials are printed, recorded, or computer-assisted educational materials that may be used over time at various locations and that in and of themselves constitute a planned CME activity. An enduring material, as a self-contained educational activity, must have its own needs assessment, educational objectives, content, evaluation instrument, and opportunity for physician-learner interaction and discussion.
• As a separate educational activity, an enduring material must also have its own credit designation separate from the live activity (i.e., where a CME provider has certified the symposium for credit, the credit for the symposium does not translate or crossover to any enduring materials produced from content presented at the symposium).

• The company may not be eligible for participation in future FSS.
• The company may not have access to ancillary meeting space in future years.
• The company may not participate as an exhibitor in future years.
• The company may incur a reduction in priority points.

All cancellations must be submitted to ASH in writing to
[email protected].

• Any cancellations received in writing by July 15, 2024, will incur a processing fee of $100.
• Any cancellations received in writing July 16, 2024, through August 6, 2024, will incur a 50 percent cancellation fee.
• Any cancellations received in writing after August 6, 2024, will incur a 100 percent cancellation penalty and the host will be issued no refund of any monies received by ASH for cancellation.

Cancellation of Meeting

It is mutually agreed that, in the event of cancellation of the ASH annual meeting as a result of strikes, acts of God, war, terrorism, disaster, pandemic, curtailment of transportation facilities, governmental regulations, power or internet outages, technology disruptions or other causes that would prevent its scheduled opening or continuance, this agreement will be terminated immediately. ASH shall determine an equitable basis for the refund of a portion of the Satellite Symposia fees after due consideration of expenditures and commitments already made.

• An organization accredited by, at the least, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), as a provider of continuing medical education. Accredited CME providers assume the responsibility and accountability for developing certified educational activities.

• The company Organizer is responsible for submitting the application and serving as the main point of contact. Examples include medical education companies, (ACCME) accredited providers (CME Providers, as above), or other educational partners. An Organizer cannot be an ACCME-defined commercial interest. Commercial interests, or “ineligible companies," are defined by ACCME as those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

• Financial, or in-kind, contributions given by a commercial interest (the “Commercial Supporter”), which is used to pay all or part of the costs of a CME activity. A Commercial Supporter cannot be an Organizer or CME Provider.