Embargo Policy and Confidentiality Agreement
AAIC Embargo Policy
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference
® (AAIC
®) is a well-recognized, global platform for news regarding advances in Alzheimer's and dementia research. If you are interested in having the research you present at AAIC eligible for inclusion in AAIC news releases and news conferences, it must not be published (online or hard copy) or presented, in whole or in part, in any manner, previous to presentation at AAIC. (Note: The Association reserves the right to also include previously published material in its news program, if it so chooses, but this is generally not the case.)
All materials submitted to AAIC are embargoed for publication and broadcast until the officially scheduled date and time of presentation at AAIC, unless the Alzheimer's Association provides written notice of change of date and/or time in advance, such as on an AAIC news release. If there are questions, please contact the Alzheimer's Association Public Relations Department at media@alz.org.
- The news embargo for abstracts and scientific presentations included in the AAIC news program will be listed on the news release that includes that abstract/presentation. This is regardless of the actual time of presentation at AAIC.
- News embargoes for plenaries and oral sessions not included in the AAIC news program are at the beginning of each individual talk (not the overall session). For example, for an oral presentation session starting at 2:00 pm where each talk is 15 minutes, the news embargo on the:
- 1st talk = 2:00 pm
- 2nd talk = 2:15 pm
- 3rd talk = 2:30 pm
- The news embargo on a poster session is at the scheduled beginning of the session.
Public and news announcements made in advance of AAIC that a scientist or company is scheduled to make a presentation at AAIC may include the date, time, location and topic of presentation, but may not include the methods, results and/or conclusions, nor the type or direction of results, even if that is included in the name/title of the submitted abstract. For that reason, authors are discouraged from putting the type and/or direction of results in the abstract title.
All news media representatives, scientists and their funders, and exhibitors/sponsors agree to honor the news embargoes and release times stated on news releases and other news materials issued by the Alzheimer's Association/AAIC.
If a reporter or news media outlet breaks an AAIC news embargo, the Alzheimer's Association reserves the right to revoke their press access and credentials for the current event and future Alzheimer's Association conferences and events.
If a scientist or company that is a participant in an AAIC news briefing or news release is discovered to have broken the news embargo, or encouraged the breaking of a news embargo, the Alzheimer's Association reserves the right to remove the participant from the news briefing and remove that scientist's/company's information from the news release. In addition, consequences for violation of the news embargo may include retraction of the accepted abstract from AAIC and/or loss of privileges of presenting research at AAIC in the future.
SEC-Related Issues
If a publicly traded company is advised that it is legally required to disclose certain data or other information from a confidential AAIC abstract in advance of the AAIC news embargo to satisfy requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or a corresponding regulatory body in a country where the company's stock is traded (collectively, "SEC"), that company must submit to AAIC, in advance of the SEC-required disclosure:
- Written notification of the time, manner and recipients of the company's release; and
- A letter signed by the company's legal counsel, advising that (a) public disclosure of the information is necessary for the company to comply with applicable securities laws, and (b) the information disclosed is the minimum necessary for such compliance.
If this is done, the abstract will not be automatically rejected or removed from AAIC on the basis of the SEC-required release of data or other information, though the situation is still subject to AAIC review. At a minimum, AAIC may in its discretion change the position of the abstract in AAIC, e.g., from oral presentation to poster. The abstract will most likely be ineligible for the AAIC news program.
The company may issue a news release at the time of SEC-required disclosure. The AAIC abstract itself may not be released publicly by the company or lead author. Mention may be made that full details will be presented at AAIC. AAIC would prefer that the news release:
- Summarize study data cited in the abstract in a qualitative rather than quantitative manner.
- Avoid interpretations about the implications of the data for practice.
As an example, a statement that a study "met its primary endpoint of improving cognition" is qualitative, while "ADAS-Cog scores remained stable for 18 months in the treated group" would be considered quantitative. A quote such as "We are encouraged by these promising results" would not be viewed as interpretive, while a quote such as "These findings support [drug] as first line therapy in mild to moderate Alzheimer's" would be seen as an interpretation of the data.
AAIC Confidentiality Agreement
Abstracts and related information submitted to the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC®) meetings are considered final and confidential from the time of submission. This Confidentiality Agreement covers all abstracts, title of abstract and summary description placeholders ("Confidential Information"). Compliance with the Confidentiality Agreement is required by all parties receiving Confidential Information, which includes all embargoed or early copies of the abstracts shared with news media, as these documents are confidential per this policy and each recipient will be held accountable for any violations of AAIC's Confidentiality Policy.
Prior to the Confidential Information being publicly released by the Alzheimer's Association in conjunction with the AAIC, authors, coauthors, sponsors of the research, news media, journalists, analysts, other AAIC attendees, and recipients of Confidential Information may not:
- Make the information public, or provide it to others who may make it public
- Publish or present the information or provide it to others who may publish or present it
- Use the information for any commercial purposes, pecuniary purposes, securities trading, securities recommendations and/or securities analysis until such information has been presented at AAIC and been reasonably absorbed on a broader basis into the market.
For a study to be eligible for acceptance into the AAIC, information contained in the abstract, as well as additional data and information to be presented about the study at AAIC, must not be disclosed before the findings have been publicly released in conjunction with AAIC.
Unless express permission is granted by the Alzheimer's Association which may be obtained directly upon request, the contents and conclusions of the abstract must not be presented at any scientific, medical or educational meeting or published in a scientific, medical or educational publication (in any medium) in whole or in part, before AAIC. If attendees wish to have information from an abstract or portions of the dataset disclosed in advance of public release in conjunction with AAIC, specific exception requests must be made per the Confidentiality Agreement Exception instructions described below.
Alzheimer's Association recognizes that certain federal and international laws require disclosure of certain clinical trial results through federal and international registries within a certain time period. If the imposed deadline for data submission falls before AAIC meeting dates, submission of the trial results to the required registry will not be viewed as a breach of AAIC's Confidentiality Agreement.
Confidentiality Agreement Exceptions
Exceptions to the AAIC Confidentiality Agreement require communication with Alzheimer's Association a minimum of 48 hours in advance of any public release. Specific inquiries about exceptions to the AAIC Confidentiality Agreement should be emailed to AAICConfidentiality@alz.org.
A Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Exception is available to companies whose securities are publicly traded to the extent that disclosure is necessary for that company to comply with the disclosure requirements under any US federal or state or international securities laws.
The obligations above shall not extend to any part of the Confidential Information (a) that can be demonstrated to have been in the public domain or publicly known at the time of disclosure; (b) that can be demonstrated to have been in the possession of or that can be demonstrated to have been readily available to Participant from another source prior to the disclosure; (c) that becomes part of the public domain or publicly known by publication or otherwise, not due to any unauthorized act by Participant; (d) that can be demonstrated as independently developed by Participant without reference to or reliance upon such Confidential Information; or (e) that is required to be disclosed by law, in which case the Participant will notify the Disclosing Party of such requirement.
Other Abstract Exceptions to the AAIC Confidentiality Agreement may be granted by the Alzheimer's Association in specific circumstances including but not limited to public health reasons and/or to meet the requirements of state, national or international government agencies.
No matter if a Confidentiality Agreement Exception applies or is granted, Alzheimer's Association retains the right, in its sole discretion, to change an abstract's placement in the meeting program based on the extent of information disclosed. If an exception applies or is granted, the study will most likely be ineligible for the official press program for AAIC.
If the confidentiality policy is broken, the Alzheimer's Association retains the right, in its sole discretion, to: remove the abstract from AAIC, deny the responsible author(s) attendance at AAIC, and/or bar the responsible author(s) from future submission and/or attendance at AAIC.
News Embargo-Related FAQ's:
Is advance promotion of general topics, speakers, or presentation times permitted?
Public and news announcements made in advance of AAIC that a scientist or company is scheduled to make a presentation of AAIC may include the date, time, location and topic of presentation, but may not include the methods, results and/or the type or direction of results, even if that is included in the name/title of the submitted abstract. For that reason, authors are discouraged from putting the type and/or direction of results in the abstract title.
Is it acceptable to submit an abstract that presents partial data from a manuscript submitted for publication?
It is not acceptable to submit partial data from a manuscript already submitted for publication AND published in any form before the AAIC news embargo date/time. It is acceptable only if the author(s) and journal guarantee in writing to AAIC that any publication would not occur until after the AAIC news embargo date/time.
Am I allowed to submit abstracts that have been previously presented?
All abstracts submitted to AAIC must be made up substantially of new findings, data, or analyses.
Will the submission of this abstract to affect the publication of our manuscript?
No. These review processes are independent. The thresholds for acceptance between conference abstracts and journal manuscripts are very different.
I have never attended a conference where the abstracts are published in an online supplement to a journal. Does this ever pose a problem for authors with subsequent publication of the research as a full article in a peer-reviewed journal, since the research findings would technically already have been published in Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association?
No. This does not pose a problem for authors. Academic literature has a clear distinction between conference abstracts and peer-reviewed papers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to prepare for my submission?
Click here to view a detailed list.
What are the themes and topics for AAIC, AIC and Technology & Dementia?
Click here to view AAIC Themes, Topics and Subtopics.
Click here to view AIC Themes.
Click here to view Technology and Dementia Themes.
Am I allowed to submit abstracts that have been previously presented?
All abstracts submitted to AAIC must be made up substantially of new findings, data, or analyses.
Can I submit more than one abstract?
Yes. A person may submit more than one abstract; however, a person may present an abstract as the presenting author on only one podium presentation and two posters slotted on different dates. Podium presentations include featured research, oral, symposium and plenary sessions. Please do not submit the same abstract for an oral and a poster presentation.
If I submit two abstracts should I just enter one as an "oral" presentation and the other as a "poster," or can I put them both in as "oral" and let the committee decide?
Please submit your preferred presentation preference. If your abstract is not accepted for an oral presentation, it may be offered a poster presentation.
Can I submit the same abstract to both the main conference and the Alzheimer's Imaging Consortium (AIC) preconference?
[New for 2016]The same abstract cannot be submitted for oral consideration to both AAIC and the Alzheimer's Imaging Consortium (AIC). You must make a choice between the preconference (AIC) and the main conference (AAIC) if you wish to be considered for a neuroimaging-themed oral session.
The same abstract may be submitted for oral consideration to one conference and also submitted for poster consideration to the opposite conference.
The same abstract may be submitted to both AIC and AAIC for poster consideration.
Can I submit the same abstract to both the main conference (AAIC) and the Technology and Dementia preconference?
Yes, but the same submitted abstract can only be presented as an oral presentation at either AAIC or Technology and Dementia.
The same abstract may be submitted and presented as a poster at both AAIC and Technology and Dementia.
How do I apply for an AAIC Travel Fellowship?
Note: An individual may not receive a travel fellowship two years in a row. Please do not submit an application if you received a full or partial travel fellowship to attend AAIC 2015.
A limited number of travel fellowships are available to AAIC presenting authors. AAIC Travel Fellowships are awarded in various packages that may include one, two or three of the following: complimentary AAIC registration, housing and/or airfare support.
How to Apply: Applicants must be the presenting author on the submitted abstract. Indicate the need for a travel fellowship in the last step of the abstract submission process. Please review the following requirements and obtain the necessary documents prior to beginning your abstract submission:
- Prepare a statement of need (max 300 words).
- Student applicants: Upload a copy of your student identification card (Word or PDF files accepted).
- Non-student applicants: Upload a letter of recommendation (Word or PDF files accepted).
Criteria and Eligibility: Travel fellowships are very competitive and awarded based on a thorough review of the application materials and financial need. A portion of awardees will receive the full package (AAIC registration, housing and airfare support); or partial packages that may include: AAIC registration and housing only or AAIC registration only. Criteria:
- Accepted presentation.
- Eligibility:
- An individual may not receive a travel fellowship two years in a row. Please do not submit an application if you received a full or partial travel fellowship at AAIC 2015 in Washington, D.C.
- Priority will be given to scientists, early career investigators, post-docs, fellow MDs, and students from a developing county (identified as low income, lower middle, or upper middle).
- Presentation format (oral or poster).
- The abstract's average review score.
- Scientists, early career investigators, post-docs, fellow MDs, and students from a non-developing country are eligible to apply.
Notification: Final decisions are made once abstracts are selected for inclusion in the AAIC program. Recipients will be notified via email by early April.
About registration: If you apply for a travel fellowship, please do not register or book your travel for AAIC until you receive the notification (reimbursements are not provided).
How do I apply for an AIC Registration Fellowship?
Note: An individual may not receive a registration fellowship two years in a row. Please do not submit an application if you received a registration fellowship to attend AIC 2015.
A limited number of fellowships, in the form of complimentary Alzheimer's Imaging Consortium (AIC) registration, are available for early career scientists who are the presenting author on an accepted abstract.
Applicants must be the presenting author on the submitted abstract. Indicate the need for a registration fellowship in the last step of the abstract submission process. Please review the following requirements and obtain the necessary documents prior to beginning your abstract submission:
- Prepare a statement of need (max 300 words).
- Student applicants: Upload a copy of your student identification card (Word or PDF files accepted).
- Non-student applicants: Upload a letter of recommendation (Word or PDF files accepted).
Criteria and Eligibility: Registration fellowships are awarded based on a thorough review of the application materials and financial need. Priority will be given to applicants who meet the following criteria:
- Accepted presentation.
- Eligibility:
- An individual may not receive a registration fellowship two years in a row. Please do not submit an application if you received a registration fellowship at AIC 2015 in Washington, D.C.
- Only individuals within 10 years of their terminal degree (M.D./Ph.D.) or within five years of completing a fellowship, whichever is greatest, are eligible to apply.
- Average abstract review score.
Notification: Final decisions are made once abstracts are selected for inclusion in the AIC program. Recipients will be notified via email by early April.
About registration: If you apply for a registration fellowship, please do not register for AIC or AAIC until you receive the notification (reimbursements are not provided).
Is there a limit on how many poster presentations an author can present?
- AAIC: An author can present two posters as long as they are slotted for different dates.
- AIC: An author can present two posters.
- Technology and Dementia: An author can present two posters.
Is there a limit on how many oral presentations an author can present?
- AAIC: An individual may be the presenting author on one podium presentation at AAIC. Podium presentations include featured research, oral, symposium and plenary sessions. Exception: An individual may only present in two AAIC podium platforms if one is a Developing Topic session (i.e. late breaking abstracts collected in the spring). Podium presentation in a preconference does not count towards AAIC.
- AIC: An individual may be the presenting author on one oral presentation.
- Technology and Dementia: An individual may be the presenting author on one oral presentation.
How do I make edits to an abstract in "submitted" status?
You may make edits to your submitted proposal through the submission deadline. Access your in-progress or submitted proposal by logging in (top right corner of this screen). It is your responsibility to confirm that your abstract is correctly submitted and is received by the submission deadline.
What is the format and size of the poster board?
- Landscape
- Meters: 2.39m(wide) x 1.17m(high)
- Inches: 94in(wide) x 46in(high)
- We advise printing your poster slightly smaller than the dimensions above to allow room for the poster number. No audiovisual equipment is available for poster presentations. Pushpins or tape will be provided.
Is it acceptable to submit an abstract that presents partial data from a manuscript submitted for publication?
It is not acceptable to submit partial data from a manuscript already submitted for publication AND published in any form before the AAIC news embargo date/time. It is acceptable only if the author(s) and journal guarantee in writing to AAIC that any publication would not occur until after the AAIC news embargo date/time.
Will the submission of this abstract affect the publication of our manuscript?
No. These review processes are independent. The thresholds for acceptance between conference abstracts and journal manuscripts are very different.
I have never attended a conference where the abstracts are published in an online supplement to a journal. Does this ever pose a problem for authors with subsequent publication of the research as a full article in a peer-reviewed journal, since the research findings would technically already have been published in Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association?
No. This does not pose a problem for authors. Academic literature has a clear distinction between conference abstracts and peer-reviewed papers.
What if my research is not complete by the abstract submission deadline?
AAIC accepts "late breaking" or "developing topic" abstract submissions in the spring (April 18, 2016 through May 2, 2016). Only abstracts in which the research findings were not ready/complete/available to be submitted during our regular abstracts submission deadline in February should be submitted via the Developing Topics submission process. NOTE: Developing Topic abstracts will be considered for a poster presentation only unless the research is reviewed and considered to be late-breaking and extremely impactful.
When will I be notified if my abstract has been accepted?
Notifications of acceptance/denial of abstract submissions will be sent by March 31, 2016.
If my abstract is chosen, do I pay for registration?
Conference registration is not mandatory in order to submit an abstract. However, it is a requirement that all presenting authors of an oral or poster presentation are registered in time for the conference. Registration opens in February 2016.
If my abstract is not accepted as an oral presentation, is it likely it will be accepted as a poster presentation?
If your abstract is not chosen as an oral presentation, your abstract may be accepted for a poster presentation. However, do not submit the same abstract for the same conference as an oral and poster.
Is advance promotion of general topics, speakers, or presentation times permitted?
Public and news announcements made in advance of AAIC that a scientist or company is scheduled to make a presentation of AAIC may include the date, time, location and topic of presentation, but may not include the methods, results and/or the type or direction of results, even if that is included in the name/title of the submitted abstract. For that reason, authors are discouraged from putting the type and/or direction of results in the abstract title.
When will accepted abstracts be posted online?
The abstracts will be available online approximately one month prior to the conference (to registered AAIC attendees only).
Does the Alzheimer's Association own accepted abstracts?
Accepted abstracts become the property of the Alzheimer's Association. Ownership of submitted abstracts not accepted for presentation reverts to the author.
If my abstract is accepted, will it be used by the Association for sales or marketing purposes?
If accepted for presentation, abstracts will be published in an online supplement to Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. Additionally, the Alzheimer's Association reserves the right to provide abstracts to conference registrants and the public via online modalities, a mobile application, an abstracts USB drive, and any other modalities they wish. In those formats, the abstracts become the property of the Association, along with the PowerPoint slides or handout material. If the presenting author provides permission to record the oral presentation, then the recording with supporting handout material will be available for purchase.
If I need to retract my abstract submission, what is the deadline?
You can retract your abstract submission at any time. Depending on our publication deadlines, we may be unable to remove your abstract from print materials and publications. To retract an accepted abstract, you must email abstracts@alz.org and confirm a response.
If my abstract is accepted, how do I make an author change or withdraw my abstract?
If the identified presenting author becomes unable to present, a co-author may present (as long as they are not scheduled to present in another oral presentation). Notification of the change must be submitted in writing to abstracts@alz.org. If none of the authors on the abstracts can present, a request must be submitted in writing to abstracts@alz.org to withdraw the abstracts. Depending on our publication deadlines, we may be unable to remove your abstracts from print materials and publications.
How can I locate an abstract from a previous AAIC or AIC?
Abstracts are published in an online supplement to Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. Click here to view the abstract archive.
Questions & Technical Support
