Just FYI, as someone helping out with the Conference, please read the tips for attendees that were sent out at some point recently. The organizers are requesting that people not audio or videotape the talks except for specific press members. This is because materials presented are the property of those who present,
****************************************************************************************************************************
Conference Attendee Guidelines and Suggestions
1.
Registration: The meeting will take place primarily on the 4th floor of the Parc 55 Hotel. Please proceed to the registration desk there on the first day to pick up your conference identification badge and banquet ticket. You will not be able to enter the lecture or workshop rooms without the badge so wear it daily. Bring an identification card with a photograph (e.g. passport, drivers license, work ID, etc.) so we can verify we are giving the right badge to the right person on the first day.
2.
Photography/ video and audiotaping: Photography, videotaping, and audio recording are strictly prohibited in the workshop/ lecture rooms or poster exhibit area.Because presentations, slides, and posters are the property of the speakers/ researchers, please refrain from photographing, video/audiotaping talks and materials. In addition, publicizing such materials early (e.g. via Youtube, Twitter, electronic forums, etc.) may jeopardize that professional’s chance of publishing in a peer-reviewed setting later.
Members of the media wear media badges and those whom you see taking photographs and audio/videotaping have special permission; do not assume that if someone else is participating in these activities, it is permitted for everyone.
If an attendee continues to break this rule after one verbal warning, IACFS/ME reserves the right to banish them from the meeting without refund of their registration/ banquet fee or other expenses (e.g. hotel, transportation, etc.).
3.
Help us achieve a chemical/ fragrance-free event as much as possible: Many ME/CFS patients and people without ME/CFS are sensitive to certain smells. Please have some consideration for your fellow attendees. To promote such an environment, we ask that participants refrain from the following before or during the event: smoking; wearing colognes, perfumes or scented oils; and using chemical based laundry detergents or fabric softeners. We also ask participants to wear something that has had limited exposure to the items above. Finally, please note that the Parc 55 is a smoking-free hotel and smoking is not allowed within public areas of the hotel. Smokers will need to step outside the hotel to smoke.
4. Patient Quiet Room: Each day of the conference during meeting hours, a room on the Conference floor is set aside as a place for patients to rest and relax. Signs will designate this room. A number of chairs and recliners will be made available. This year, New Realities, a company offering relaxation programs to help with sleep and chronic pain, is sponsoring the room. Patients are not obligated to try or buy their program in order to use the Quiet Room but please do check it out if you can and thank them for their sponsorship.
5. Please visit our webpage of Conference supporters and say “Hi” to supporter representatives if you see them at their tables or during the Conference. Click
here or see our program book which you will receive on the day you arrive at the meeting. These generous individuals and companies help make this meeting possible.
6. A few weeks before the meeting, we will send out another e-blast concerning travel tips about the San Francisco Bay area. To start planning now, one website you can visit is
San Francisco Travel the official city tourism website. For attendees with special needs (e.g. handicapped access), you can talk to Parc 55 Hotel staff or San Francisco Travel for more information. Also, search online for “San Francisco Access Guide” to download the 2007 guide for disabled tourists/ residents. Information in the Guide should be confirmed given its older date.
