AAN Annual Meeting Press Room Policies for Industry

What is the AAN Embargo Policy?

The following policies apply to AAN Annual Meeting abstracts, not including late-breaking science abstracts, to be presented at the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting, being held April 5-9 in San Diego.

• Abstracts, not including late-breaking science abstracts, will be posted online at 4:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, March 6, 2025.
• Authors of abstracts featured in an AAN press release must abide by AAN Embargo Policies.
  

  • Authors will be notified at acceptance if their abstract has been selected for AAN press release. Embargo dates for these abstracts will be communicated to the authors.

  • The AAN strictly enforces its embargo policy for abstracts featured in AAN press releases, which prohibits the distribution or publication of the contents of abstracts ahead of the embargo date and time.

  • When the embargo lifts for an abstract featured in an AAN press release, the embargo also lifts on additional research data related to but not included in the abstract. This includes data to be presented at the AAN Annual Meeting in presentations and posters. While additional data beyond the abstract may be included in an external press release after the embargo lifts, posters or slide presentations created for the AAN Annual Meeting must not be shared ahead of their presentation time at the AAN Annual Meeting.

• Embargoed press releases on newsworthy abstracts, not including late-breaking science abstracts, will be distributed to credentialed journalists by late February 2025.
• Authors may present an accepted abstract at a subspecialty meeting ahead of 4:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, March 6, 2025, if the abstract has not been selected for the AAN Annual Meeting press release program and is not a late-breaking science abstract.

The following policies apply to late-breaking science abstracts to be presented at the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting, April 5-9 in San Diego.

• The embargo for late-breaking science abstracts will be announced closer to the Annual Meeting. Late-breaking science abstracts will be posted online when the embargo lifts.
• All authors of late-breaking science abstracts must abide by AAN Embargo Policies.
• Authors who must report their findings publicly before the embargo date due to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations are asked to notify the AAN by sending an email to media@aan.com.
• When the embargo lifts for late-breaking science abstracts, the embargo also lifts for additional research data related to but not included in the late-breaking science abstracts. This includes data to be presented at the AAN Annual Meeting in presentations and posters. While additional data beyond the abstract may be included in an external press release after the embargo lifts, posters or slide presentations created for the AAN Annual Meeting must not be shared ahead of their presentation time at the AAN Annual Meeting.
• Late-breaking science abstracts are accepted from neurologists, neuroscientists, and other researchers whose work is of major scientific importance, warranting expedited presentation and publication. Key aspects of the research must have been conducted after October 15, 2024.

For questions regarding AAN Annual Meeting policies, please send an email to media@aan.com.

If promoting research on social media channels once the embargo has lifted, you are encouraged to use the official AAN Annual Meeting Hashtag #AANAM.

Who can register aS Press FOR the AAN Annual Meeting?

Credentialed reporters, writers, producers, and editors from established print, online, or broadcast news organizations may register for the AAN Annual Meeting. Representatives from industry, public relations firms, financial analyst firms, data analytics firms, advertising agency representatives, or medical communications companies are not allowed to register as press or enter the AAN Annual Meeting Press Room. Companies that are exhibitors may not request press credentials for their staff.

May our company host a PRESS conference for our client DURING THE ANNUAL MEETING?

No. This activity would count as taking the exhibit out of the Exhibit Hall, which is against AAN Annual Meeting policies and guidelines. This includes conference calls, web conferences, inviting press to Industry Therapeutic Updates, and similar organized events as they relate to the press. Only press conferences organized by AAN staff may take place on-site or in off-site locations in connection with the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting. 

Is it possible to obtain a copy of your press registration list?

No. The AAN does not share its press registration lists or its news release distribution lists with outside organizations.

How can I find out when an abstract will be presented?

A separate, searchable website is created in advance of the AAN Annual Meeting that will include information on general abstracts submitted for the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting. However, information regarding late-breaking science abstracts will not be posted online in advance of the AAN Annual Meeting.

Does the AAN review outside press releases?

No. The AAN is not responsible for reviewing outside materials but will hold industry representatives accountable for misrepresentation of materials. Examples include: stating that a study was presented during the AAN Annual Meeting when it wasn’t selected as part of the program, incorrectly stating an embargo date and/or time, and so forth. The AAN has the right to refuse any materials.

Where CAN INDUSTRY PRESS RELEASES BE PLACED?

Industry representatives may only display press releases related to the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting abstracts on a designated table located outside the Annual Meeting Press Room in San Diego, April 5-9. Press materials must be related to research presented at the AAN Annual Meeting. The scientific presentation time of the abstract featured in a press release must be clearly labeled at the top of the press release. Press releases not labeled with presentation times and other materials such as press kits, folders, brochures, and fact sheets that are left on the designated table for industry press releases will be discarded by AAN staff. 

For questions regarding policies, please send an email to media@aan.com.