This document discusses challenges and opportunities for medical association congresses to optimize deliverables. It notes the need to balance stakeholder needs while complying with various regulations on sponsorship, payments to healthcare professionals, and self-funding. Inconsistencies in international, regional, and local compliance rules complicate matters. Suggested strategies include considering locations that control costs, ensuring events focus on education over leisure, and exploring hybrid or new meeting formats and markets to address funding limitations and self-funding preferences. The panelists welcomed discussion on practical ways to address these issues.

1. Healthcare Track
Optimising Deliverables of Medical
Association Congress’
Andrew Winterburn, Universal World Events
Caroline Mackenzie, Congrex Group

2. Panellist Introduction
Caroline Mackenzie
Director, Business Development
Congrex Group
Andrew Winterburn
Director, Europe and Asia
Universal World Events

3. Scene Setter
Essential for Medical Associations that their Congresses remain
relevant to both HCPs and commercial stakeholders:
• Valuable provider of education
• Active party in research
• Added value of product presence
• Important revenue stream
– Sponsorship
– Exhibition
– Delegate Support

4. Challenges and barriers
• Balancing the needs / desires of the Association and its
membership with stakeholder needs
• Inconsistencies in compliance and regulation
• Slow down in product development and quickening of
patent expiration
• Congress Vetting
• HCP Payment Disclosure
• Increase in self funding

5. Balancing needs
Association Company
Staff
Delegates
Speakers
Members
Delegates
Speakers

6. Inconsistencies in Compliance
Wide variation of rules and guidelines impacting on 3rd party
Congresses:
• International
– IFPMA
• Regional
– EFPIA
• Local
– ABPI
– Sunshine Act
– Bribery Act
• Company
– Own compliance rules
and interpretations
• Delegate
– Ability to fund fully
– Part funding only
– Payment disclosure
– No direct funding

7. Funding limitations
Growth Slow Down Product Development
AcquisitionsPatent Expiry
Price Reduction Approval Slow Down

8. Congress Vetting
EUCOMED EFPIA

9. HCP Payment Disclosure
Ref: Public Disclosure Seminar June 2013

10. HCP Payment Disclosure
Ref: Public Disclosure Seminar June 2013
Which principal impact do you expect on HCP participation to meetings and
events for your business?

11. HCP Payment Disclosure
New EFPIA Disclosure Code and Revisions to HCP Code

12. Self Funding
• Essential delegate value is achieved
• CME / CPD
• Greater cost sensitivity
• Shorter events – less nights saves costs
• Other formats of meetings and education (virtual)

13. Logistics Impact
• Destinations for events that are business focused
• Destinations that offer suitable accommodation options at
varied price points
• Centrally accessible locations to keep travel costs down
• Destinations where ‘cost of living’ therefore F&B pricing is
sensible
• Making sure any ‘social’ aspects are appropriate and are not
included in reg fees
• Non medical Aps are not encouraged to attend
• Leisure extender trips are not promoted
• Event promotion is about education and the science

14. Practical Considerations
• Lower delegate numbers?
• Less funding from stakeholders?
• New funding streams?
• Hybrid meetings?
• Higher registration fees?
• Targeting new markets?

15. Thank you and discussion
Andrew Winterburn, andrew.winterburn@universalworldevents.com
Caroline Mackenzie, caroline.mackenzie@congrex.com