From 9 to 13 October 2015, a total of 5500 experts in haematology and medical oncology discussed current research results and challenges in the treatment of blood diseases and cancer. The annual conference of the Austrian, German and Swiss Societies of Haematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO), the most eminent group of oncology experts in German-speaking Europe, is being led this year by congress president Dr. med. Martin Wernli of Aarau Cantonal Hospital. “For Switzerland as a research location, it is important that the DGHO annual conference will be held on a regular basis in Switzerland too. During past conferences we have held here, Basel has proved itself to be an ideal location”, explains Dr. Wernli in assessing the importance of the event in Basel.
Strong presence of the pharmaceutical industry
The DGHO annual conference of the specialist societies is held every four years in Switzerland and has been hosted by the Congress Center Basel for the fourth time now. Since it was first held in Basel in 2003, with 2000 delegates, the event has continually grown and was able to register more than 5500 visitors over the five days this year, simultaneously marking a record for participant numbers in the Congress Center Basel. The local and international pharmaceutical industry also has a strong presence at the accompanying exhibition for the congress, showcasing itself on an exhibition area of 8000 m2 with some 90 stands ranging from 6 m2 to 180 m2 in size.
Added value of some CHF 3 million
The DGHO congress is the biggest specialist conference being staged during this exceptionally intensive Basel congress autumn of 2015 and thus has a considerable economic impact on the city. Many of the 5500 congress delegates and representatives from industry and science stayed in hotels in the Basel region and made use of the offerings in the city, bringing an estimated added value of around CHF 3 million into the Basel region.
Preparations going back many years
More than 25,000 participants from all over the world are expected in Basel from September through to the end of November 2015. This marks the outcome of efforts and preparations going back many years. International scientific events that go to different congress destinations all over the world are generally subject to an elaborate bidding process. The team at the Congress Center Basel frequently supports the organisers with all the different aspects involved over a period of several years, working together closely with the city of Basel. Through this intensive and successful cooperation, it proved possible to stage more than 50 international and 45 national congresses of different sizes between 2010 and 2014, with a total of some 600,000 participants.
DGHO Annual Conference 2015: www.haematologie-onkologie-2015.com
