The 14th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Asia Pacific Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology (APSCVIR) took place in Bali, Indonesia earlier this year (21–24 February), with 420 registrants from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
A total of 143 free papers including 43 oral papers, 77 e-posters and nine walking posters were presented during the meeting. APSCVIR president Andrew Holden (Auckland, New Zealand) tells this newspaper that “The meeting was extremely well planned by [president-elect] Prijo Sidipratomo [Jakarta, Indonesia] and his organising committee, and continued the proud tradition of an excellent academic programme combined with wonderful social occasions in an exotic location. The four-day schedule involved plenary and concurrent sessions, involving 120 world-class international and regional experts covering a wide range of vascular, oncology and other interventions.”
In a press release, the society stated: “APSCVIR enjoyed the commitment and support by various global interventional radiology societies including CIRSE [Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe], SIR [Society of Interventional Radiology], SIO [Society of Interventional Oncology], SPIR [Society for Paediatric Interventional Radiology] and ISVIR [Indian Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology] that brought together world-renowned leaders in the different subspecialties of interventional radiology at the meeting, galvanising the bonds with these societies.
“The above academic pursuits would not have been possible without the continued generous support from our 20 industry partners who contributed nine educational sessions during the meeting.” Holden iterated this, saying: “Strong industry support provided a busy trade display area and excellent interaction during session breaks.”
During the awards ceremony held at the Cultural Fest Gala Dinner, three society members received the 2019 APSCVIR Gold Medallist Award: Abdul Samad Bin Sakijan (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Gao Jun Teng (Nanjing, China), and Masatoshi Okazaki (Fukuoka, Japan). Jim Reekers (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Ziv Haskal (Charlottesville, USA), and Brian Stainken (Stamford, USA) were also presented APSCVIR Honourary Memberships “for their long, untiring support and outstanding contributions to [the] field of cardiovascular and interventional radiology”.
Speaking to Interventional News, Haskal refers to the Honorary Membership as a “career highlight”, adding: “I have been a decades-long attendee and supporter of the APSCVIR, firm in the belief that it brings together a unique group of attendees, ones with expertise that has always broadened my interventional practice and approach. Things are simply different in different parts of the planet, and diversity creates new ideas, opportunities and advances. I think the APSCVIR is one of the most important IR societies, and I would encourage all interventional radiologists to put its meetings firmly on their potential travel calendars.”
Echoing these sentiments, Reekers comments: “The Asian Pacific society for IR covers a very broad area and has a great diversity in members. Additionally, in Asia interventional radiology is a fast growing medical specialty. It is a great honour to be recognised as somebody who has contributed to the development, growth and spread of interventional radiology, also in the Asia Pacific part of the world. It only shows that interventional radiology is truly an international specialty and that IR education and science have no borders. Many of the APSCIVR members visit the CIRSE annual meetings, and it is always a great pleasure to interact there in many ways. Therefore, the honorary membership of APSCIVR means a lot for me personally and I am very grateful for my election. The fact that I have always been a great lover of the Asia Pacific region makes it even more valuable for me to be in this position. I am sure that my ties to this group and region will even be more strengthened.”
Additionally, 15 interventional radiologists below the age of 40 received the young interventional radiologist sponsorship awards, and were provided with a grant to assist with travel. Holden says this continues “the tradition of supporting young interventionalists from developing countries in our region to attend the meeting”.
He adds: “We look forward to welcoming you to the 15th APSCVIR in 2020 in Taipeh, Taiwan—an event that is sure to carry on the fine traditions of our Annual Scientific Meeting”.
