The rising cost of registration for major international conferences is pushing attendance beyond the financial reach of some specialists, it is being claimed.
The concern has emerged following revelations the American College of Rheumatology is charging USD $2299 for non-members to gain full access to the ACR Convergence 2022 conference, equivalent to some $3365 in Australian dollars.
By contrast, the price of full registration to the same event two years ago was USD $450 (AUD $650) for members and USD $595 (AUD $870) for non-members.
Prices are also on the rise for respiratory medicine conferences, with the ERS (European Respiratory Society) 2022 Congress in Barcelona costing up to €920 (AUD $1360) for in-person attendance by non-members.
By contrast, full registration including web access to its 2018 congress in Munich cost €820 (AUD $1200) for members and €980 (AUD $980) for non-members, discounted €630 (AUD $930) for those who buy early-bird tickets.
The rheumatology college has stressed the events are not directly comparable, with the 2020 event held entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s edition, scheduled for November 10-14 in Philadelphia, will be conducted both virtually and in-person and is being billed as the “world’s premier rheumatology experience”.
Beyond that, it says reduced rates are available for college members (USD $1499/ AUD $2188), as well as for trainees and doctors from developing countries.
But although there is an option to purchase ‘virtual only’ registration, there is no discount – with tickets costing the same as those for in-person attendance.
Doctors took to social media to complain about the financial impost.
Why the registration fee almost doubled from the past years? It’ll make it impossible for me to attend future meetings…
— Aleshse (@leshse) July 26, 2022