COVID-19 UPDATE AS OF APRIL 2, 2020: VIRTUAL MEETING
In response to the rapidly changing circumstances associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the ISBD has made the decision to transition its annual in-person conference to a virtual experience. In coming to this decision, the ISBD leadership carefully weighed the risks to attendees and their families, colleagues, and patients. As a Society devoted to the well-being of those with bipolar disorder, the organization feels strongly that ISBD must continue to fulfill its mission in the face of COVID-19. Our annual conference provides an essential forum for the exchange of the latest information and ideas in the field and we need to ensure that we maintain this important function of our Society. A virtual conference will provide an exciting means of sharingknowledge and communicating and collaborating with colleagues from around the world. We need to be flexible while acknowledging this global health issue. Please know this has been an incredibly difficult decision for us as we all look forward to our annual conference to see friends, both long-tenured and new. Our annual conference is also important because ISBD is a not-for-profit organization that depends heavily on this meeting to sustain its financial well-being. Like other professional organizations that hold conferences, ISBD has made up-front investments to plan and execute the conference. The circumstances associated with COVID- 19 are changing daily and because the conference is now just 10 weeks away, cancelling the in-person conference has consequences not just for attendees, presenters, and exhibitors but for the Society as well.
ISBD Annual Conference Registration
Holding the meeting virtually will reduce the cost of registration and eliminate travel costs, making the conference more widely accessible worldwide. Visit the Registration page for information regarding the registration fees for the virtual event. We also hope you will view our Donations page to see how you can help make the ISBD even more accessible for those in developing countries. We hope you will consider helping ISBD use this unique opportunity to achieve one of its missions to disseminate knowledge on a global level.
ISBD Annual Conference Housing
If you made your housing reservation through ISBD’s group housing link, your hotel reservation will be cancelled, and you will receive a full refund for your hotel arrangements. You have likely already received a cancellation notice from the Chicago Marriott Downtown. Those that made their arrangements through some other source (such as third party sites such as hotels.com) should contact that source directly to cancel.
ISBD Annual Conference Flight Information
If you made your flight reservation for the ISBD Annual Conference, please contact the airline company to cancel your reservation.