Program Participant Guidelines:

Abstract submissions for the ASCRS Program must take place through the online submission portal at https://ascrs.confex.com/ascrs/20am/cfp.cgi

All abstract submissions are subject to the ACCME guidelines regarding independence and validation of clinical content. Instructors/authors/producers are responsible for ensuring that (1) all recommendations involving clinical medicine presented are based on evidence that is accepted within the profession and (2) all scientific research referred to, reported, or used conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. Recommendations, treatments, or manners of practicing medicine that do not comply with the above, are known to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits or are known to be ineffective in the treatment of patients will not be accepted.

The full submission guide is available at

Abstract Submission Process

Abstract submissions for the 2020 ASCRS Annual Meeting will be accepted   from August 26 to October 20, 2019.

Step 1: Go to https://ascrs.confex.com/ascrs/20am/cfp.cgi , click on call for submissions,  select the type of submission (ASCRS instructional course, film, scientific paper, electronic poster, or photograph): 

• Provide all required information. The process will allow you to review your submission.
• It is important to use a valid e-mail address as all correspondence regarding the account and/or submission will be sent to this e-mail address.

Step 2: Complete the Financial Interest Disclosure and ASCRS Faculty CME Review at https://ascrs.confex.com/ascrs/ficme20/cfp.cgi

All faculty in a position to control the content of this CME activity—presenters, instructors, co-instructors, producers, and other faculty—must complete the ASCRS Faculty CME Review and Financial Interest Disclosure by Sunday, October 20, 2019.  Instructions on how to complete the ASCRS Faculty CME Review and Financial Interest Disclosure are listed on page 6. It’s only necessary to submit one Financial Interest Disclosure for 2020.  Once you submit a disclosure, it will be applied to all ASCRS CME activities through August 2020.  

Step 3: Use your browser “print” command to print or save a copy of your submission for your records. If you do not receive a completed submission confirmation ID, please contact: submissions@ascrs.org. Incomplete abstract submissions will not be accepted.

Disclosure of Unapproved/Off-Label Use

If a presentation concerns the use of a drug or device that has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or concerns off-label use of a drug or device approved by the FDA for other use, this must be disclosed during the presentation.

Abstract Review Process

Abstract submissions will be peer-reviewed by the ASCRS Program Committee and Clinical Committees. Reviewer scores will be based on overall quality, balance, scientific rigor, alignment with educational objectives, and absence of commercial influence.

Reasons for Non-acceptance

The ASCRS Program Committee will not accept abstracts under the following circumstances: 

• Abstract submissions that are commercially biased
• Abstract submissions from owners and/or employees of ACCME-defined commercial interests (Details on page 7)
• If the lead instructor/author/producer and co-instructors/co-authors/co-producers have not completed their individual Faculty CME Review and Financial Interest Disclosure by the submission deadline
• If the instructor/author/producer did not follow the withdrawal guidelines the previous year (no-show)
• If the lead instructor/author/producer is not an MD or PhD (i.e. optometrist, physician assistant, technician)
• If the submission’s content/research has been published or presented elsewhere

Notifications of acceptance/ Non-acceptance  

An e-mail with the status of the abstract submission will be sent by December 23 to the email listed for the primary faculty (author, instructor, producer). If notification is not received by December 30, please contact: submissions@ascrs.org (ASCRS course, film, paper, or poster).

Registration

All faculty (are required to register for the 2020 ASCRS Annual Meeting by April 8^th. 

Submission Withdrawals 

If an instructor/author/producer is unable to present, he/she must notify ASCRS by e-mail, submissions@ascrs.org

If an instructor/author/producer fails to submit notification of withdrawal or does not present, he/she will be ineligible to submit for the 2021 ASCRS Annual Meeting (see Guidelines for Non-acceptance).

Copyright Assignment Statements

By submitting this abstract (scientific paper, poster, instructional course, film, photograph), I agree to grant and assign exclusively to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (“the society”) all of the rights, including copyright, in the submitted presentation, as well as any related materials used for audiovisual presentation (collectively referred to as “the works”). I also grant and assign to the society the rights to film, record, reproduce, reprint, distribute, sell, and otherwise make use of the works, or any presentation of the works, in any media or format, and authorize the society to use my name, likeness, photograph, and biographical data in connection with its use and promotion of the works. I understand that I will receive no royalty or other monetary compensation from the society for this assignment of rights and the subsequent use of my works by the society.

I represent and warrant that the works are my own original work or that I have obtained all necessary permissions and authorizations from all individuals or entities that may otherwise have a right, title, or interest in the works; that I have full right and power to make this assignment; that the works do not violate any copyright, proprietary or personal rights of others; and that the works are factually accurate and contain no matter libelous or otherwise unlawful.