EuroPCR2007 : CAN IT BE BETTER
Well Barcelona is a wonderful city, full of life. The meeting was average, maybe because of the lack of earth-shattering breaking news, like last September at the ESC/WCC 2006, when Dr Camerzind and colleague shattered the interventional world with their meta-analysis of DES showing the problem of late stent thrombosis.
This time, the organisers had problems causing audio-visual disruption, so bad that the program had to be re-arranged. There was also problems with live transmission. I am sure that next year, the organisers will get it better. The event organisers were rather unfriendly, doing their work almost grudgingly, making us feel that they want our money, but not us. Of course security was tight (thanks to Mr Bush and the war on terror).
There also seem to be a simmering war across the Atlantics. What was most telling at the opening day afternoon symposium, when at the great debate between medical therapy and PCI, the great American, none other then Dr Steve Nissen (of recent Time magazine fame), failed to show. Can you imagine, at a premier meeting on the opening day, at one of the major session, in the main arena, the main speaker fail to show. Obviously, it looks like it was timimg. Dr Nissen, had just authored a very controversial paper in the NEJM on the dangers of Avandia (an anti-diabetic drug manufactured by GSK), which was quickly picked up by the Wall Street Journal, and the shares of GSK duly plummeted. It would appear that Dr Nissen would rather stay back and by interviewed by Wall Street Journal and other press, then to honuor his commitment to EuroPCR. In his absence, Dr K Hawkins (the other speaker at the debate), duly took potshots at Dr Nissen, saying some not so nice things, perhaps half in jest. The exhibitors put up a good show, and really put up a good display.
Obviously, the biggest letdown was the lack of important, practice changing breaking trials. I suppose the organisers were placing their hopes on Costar 2, which disappointed. Anyway, overly it was an okay show, but surely not worth all the money and effort put into it. I heard that the whole show cost something like Euro 30K. You could but many many DES with that.
This time, the organisers had problems causing audio-visual disruption, so bad that the program had to be re-arranged. There was also problems with live transmission. I am sure that next year, the organisers will get it better. The event organisers were rather unfriendly, doing their work almost grudgingly, making us feel that they want our money, but not us. Of course security was tight (thanks to Mr Bush and the war on terror).
There also seem to be a simmering war across the Atlantics. What was most telling at the opening day afternoon symposium, when at the great debate between medical therapy and PCI, the great American, none other then Dr Steve Nissen (of recent Time magazine fame), failed to show. Can you imagine, at a premier meeting on the opening day, at one of the major session, in the main arena, the main speaker fail to show. Obviously, it looks like it was timimg. Dr Nissen, had just authored a very controversial paper in the NEJM on the dangers of Avandia (an anti-diabetic drug manufactured by GSK), which was quickly picked up by the Wall Street Journal, and the shares of GSK duly plummeted. It would appear that Dr Nissen would rather stay back and by interviewed by Wall Street Journal and other press, then to honuor his commitment to EuroPCR. In his absence, Dr K Hawkins (the other speaker at the debate), duly took potshots at Dr Nissen, saying some not so nice things, perhaps half in jest. The exhibitors put up a good show, and really put up a good display.
Obviously, the biggest letdown was the lack of important, practice changing breaking trials. I suppose the organisers were placing their hopes on Costar 2, which disappointed. Anyway, overly it was an okay show, but surely not worth all the money and effort put into it. I heard that the whole show cost something like Euro 30K. You could but many many DES with that.
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