TFOS 2020 Conference Cancellation
As this coronavirus pandemic persists, the TFOS Board of Directors has decided to cancel the TFOS 2020 Conference in Cernobbio, Italy (September 9 - 12, 2020). This decision was very difficult, but prompted by a number of considerations. These include the recognition that:
• Italy can restrict border entry at short notice, especially if a second wave of Covid-19 appears imminent
• Italy may choose to require a quarantine period upon arrival, as may the participant's country upon return
• Academic institutions and clinics have recently extended travel bans to international destinations through most of this Summer
• The Conference Center and hotels in Cernobbio cannot guarantee being open in September
A "virtual" Conference will not be offered. TFOS has always sought to move the ocular surface field forward through professional interactions, as well as by encouraging scientific challenge and academic debate. Such objectives are impossible in the virtual setting, especially with global time differences.
Due to legal restrictions, the TFOS 2020 Conference cannot be rescheduled.
For those of you who registered, including your guests, the TFOS Conference secretariat, JAKA Congressi will reimburse you. For those of you who prepaid for hotel rooms via the TFOS booking agency, they will contact you directly to refund you.
We spent three years planning and organizing the TFOS 2020 Conference. This effort would not have been possible without the extraordinary help of so many people. We thank you all for your continued support of TFOS. We also thank Johnson & Johnson Vision, Novartis, URSAPHARM, OMISAN, SUN Pharma, and Quantel Medical for their generous financial support of this Conference, and Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, Santen, SIFI, ESW-Vision, and Aerie Pharmaceuticals for their intended support. We also thank JAKA Congressi, CITYnet, H Design, Villa Erba Exhibition & Convention Centre, and Como Imprenditori Alberghieri (C.I.A) for their invaluable assistance.
We look forward to bringing the TFOS community together once again in the future.
Amy Gallant Sullivan, on behalf of the TFOS Board of Directors.
“With the uncertainties of COVID-19 affecting every aspect of our lives, work and patient care, the safety and wellbeing of our patients, colleagues and industry partners must guide our decisions and actions. As such, we fully support TFOS’ decision to cancel the 2020 meeting. In the meantime, we’re looking to the future with optimism, and we look forward to continuing to partner with TFOS for the future of the organization, the industry, and for future meetings. Until we meet again…”
Caroline A. Blackie, OD, PhD
Global Medical Director, Ocular Surface Disease
Johnson & Johnson Vision