A medical association
is on track to welcome the highest number of attendees to its flagship congress
in a decade after worst-than-expected numbers last year.
The International
Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) is expecting around 6,000
delegates at the ISTH
2026 Congress in Paris, France - 25 per cent more than in 2025, when the event was held in Washington DC.
What is more, the society said it had received a record number of abstracts for its scientific programme (3,100), which reflected ‘growing engagement’ in the subject matter.
ISTH was expecting around 6,000 delegates in Washington, but in the end had to settle for 4,500 - a number then executive director Thomas Reiser described as 'very low for a truly international congress'.
The numbers expected in Paris appear to confirm the theory that last year's congress was affected by US politics, with delegates choosing to stay away for political reasons or safety fears, rather than a structural decline.
Speaking to AMI recently, Kevin Hinton, MD for Group Travel at US Travel, said Washington had been affected more than other US cities, due to its role as the seat of government.
This year's congress will
take place at the Paris
Expo Porte de Versailles, July 11-15, bringing together clinicians,
researchers, scientists, educators and industry leaders from around the world.
“The ISTH
2026 Congress is excited to convene in Paris, which provides an outstanding
setting for scientific exchange and international collaboration,” said Walter
Ageno, chair of the planning committee. “We look forward to welcoming
colleagues from around the world to what is probably the most dynamic and
diverse gathering in thrombosis and hemostasis.”
Among the most anticipated highlights will be the presentation of
late-breakthrough abstracts sharing new data from major clinical trials and
breakthrough studies.
The
late-breakthrough programme features emerging clinical trial results and first disclosures
of important scientific findings that may influence future standards of care.
Presentations
will offer attendees an early look at important scientific developments that
have the potential to influence future research and clinical practice.
*This article was amended on July 7th. Previously, the article had referred to a 'dip' in numbers in Washington, which didn't accurately reflect the trend in recent years.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
