Dear AuntMinnieEurope Member,
VIENNA - It's wonderful to be back in Vienna! After more than three years, that seemed to be the universal feeling on the opening day of the ECR 2022 -- and it was entirely understandable.
The pandemic is still very much with us, of course. Most people wore face masks on the U-Bahn trains, and a vaccination facility is offering jabs to attendees near the main entrance of the Vienna International Centre.
The woman in charge, Prof. Dr. Regina Beets-Tan, was in an extremely upbeat mood during my video interview with her on the first day of the congress. She was very positive about the registration numbers but would not be drawn about onsite registration figures.
This year's meeting appears certain to be more friendly, welcoming, and diverse than previous ECRs -- for example, the name badges only have people's first names -- and this new mood is partly due to Beets-Tan's personality. She likes openness and informality.
The success of ECR 2022 will ultimately be judged on the quality of the science. We are already featuring articles on some of the research that was presented on Wednesday, including a story on the implementation of artificial intelligence in the Netherlands and an article about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on European cancer screening programs.
Another major issue will be the willingness and ability of people to travel to Vienna in the summer. It's an expensive and time-consuming trip, and did delegates feel they got value for money? The organizers have made a positive start, but time will tell. The jury's out.
Our editorial team will be onsite until Sunday. We very much look forward to bringing your interviews and reports from the congress -- be sure to follow the proceedings in our RADCast @ ECR.
