The 2012 World Congress of Hematology was held in Cancún, México from April 25-28, 2012. The congress brought together over 1,200 attendees from 42 countries representing the International Society of Hematology and the Agrupación Mexicana para el Estudio de la Hematología. Plenary lectures covered topics like bone marrow transplantation, treatment of multiple myeloma, and the evolution of hemoglobin. Five joint symposia were also held with other organizations. Over 200 papers were presented, with 32 as oral presentations and 202 as posters. During the business meeting, the flag of the International Society of Hematology was transferred to the Asian-Pacific Division to represent the location of the 2014

1. The 2012 World Congress of Hematology
In April 25–28 2012, the joint meeting combining the XXXIV Congress of the International Society of
Hematology (ISH) and the LIII Congress of the Agrupación Mexicana para el Estudio de la Hematología
(AMEH) was held in Cancún, México, this being the third time in which a World Congress of Hematology
has been held in México.
The total number of attendants was 1204, 1057 of them being academic delegates. Most of the attendants (84%)
came from the Interamerican Division of the ISH, but there were also attendants from both the European African
Division and the Asian-Pacific Division. All the registrants to the Congress became members of the ISH. By
country, the highest number of attendants came from México (68%), followed by attendants from China (5%),
USA (4%), Argentina (2%). In all 42 countries were represented.
The lecture of the opening ceremony on ‘Precolumbian Medicine’ was delivered by Professor Juan Ramon de la
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Fuente (México). The plenary lectures were Professor Sergio Giralt (USA) on ‘Bone Marrow Transplantation
around the world’, Professor Robert A. Kyle (USA) on ‘The evolution of treatment of Multiple Myeloma’ and
Professor Antonio Lazcano (México) who lectured on ‘Planetary changes and biological evolution:
Hemoglobins and other adaptations to an oxygen-rich environment’. Five joint symposia were held with other
academic institutions/organizations: ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology, CLAHT (Grupo
Cooperativo Latinoamericano de Hemostasia y Trombosis), Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center and
World Federation of Hemophilia.
Two hundred and thirty-four papers were presented: 32 as oral presentations and 202 as poster presentations.
The three secretaries-general of each division of the ISH attended the meeting and participated actively in the
business meetings. During the business meetings, the flag of the society was transferred from the Interamerican
Division to the Asian-Pacific Division, since the 2014 World Congress of the ISH will be held in China (Figure)
Business meeting of the International Society of Hematology (ISH). From left to right: Professor Saengsuree Jootar,
Chair of Council of the ISH, Professor Guillermo J. Ruiz-Arguelles, President of the ISH transferring the flag of the
ISH to Professor Tomomitsu Hotta, Secretary-General of the Asian-Pacific Division of the ISH.
Carlos Martinez-Murillo MD
AMEH President (2011-2013)
Guillermo J. Ruiz-Arguelles MD, FACP, FRCP (Glasgow)
ISH President (2010-2012)
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60 DOI 10.1179/1024533213Z.000000000177 Hematology 2013 VOL. 18 NO. 1