The International Participants Center (IPC) provides a warm and welcoming environment for international and U.S.-based attendees with a shared interest in global health at the ATS 2024 International Conference. The IPC will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, through Tuesday, May 21, in the Sails Pavilion of the San Diego Convention Center.

This space offers a valuable opportunity for professionals to connect with colleagues, network, and unwind between sessions. Curated Studio Talks, designed for IPC attendees, will also feature unique insights into various global health issues.

“Nearly one-third of ATS members live and work outside of the U.S.,” explained ATS President M. Patricia Rivera, MD, ATSF. “ATS has established the International Participants Center and Global Community in alignment with our dedication to inclusivity and global engagement. We firmly believe that nurturing a diverse community of professionals from across the globe enriches the depth of dialogue and learning within our community.”

The Global Respiratory Community will also be onsite in San Diego, adjacent to the IPC. This area will host 14 international peer societies that share common objectives with ATS in the pursuit of improving respiratory health across the world. These partner societies include:

• Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR)
• Asociación Argentina de Medicina Respiratoria (AAMR)
• Asociación Latinoamericana de Tórax (ALAT)
• Brazilian Thoracic Society (SBPT)
• Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS)
• Egyptian Pediatric Pulmonology Society (EPPS)
• European Respiratory Society (ERS)
• Indian Chest Society (ICS)
• The International Society for Aerosols in Medicine (ISAM)
• The Japanese Respiratory Society
• Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (KATRD)
• Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS)
• Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP)
• Sociedad Mexicana de Neumología y Cirugía de Tórax (SMNyCT)
• The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ)
• Turkish Thoracic Society (TTS)

In addition to the IPC, ATS is proud to host exclusive events tailored for international members and partners. One such event is the collaboration between ATS and Respiratory Societies of the Americas, including CHEST, ALAT, the Canadian Thoracic Society, and the Brazilian Thoracic Society. Together, the groups aim to advance the mission of promoting global lung health.

This year’s discussion will center around “Pneumonia in Vulnerable Populations in the Americas.” Scheduled for Saturday, May 18, from 2-4 p.m. in the IPC, this symposium provides a pivotal platform for respiratory societies across the Americas to collectively address critical respiratory health challenges.

Another crucial session in the IPC will be the International Health Committee Scientific Symposium, “What are the Greatest Global Challenges to Lung Health?” This session is scheduled for Sunday, May 19, from 2:15-3:45 p.m. Leaders from peer respiratory societies will discuss environmental factors like air pollution, poverty, equitable access to care, and more to identify the most urgent issues for patients’ lung health and potential solutions to overcome these challenges together.

A comprehensive list of scheduled IPC education sessions is listed below:

• Using online tools to increase global research capacity in pediatric pulmonology: The VIPPRA and MECOR experience — Sunday, May 19, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
• Dissecting Health Issues in a LMIC for Effective Solutions: The Tale of Three Diseases — Sunday, May 19, 1:15-2:15 p.m.
• Buenos Dias ATS Session: Lung cancer screening in Europe and Latin America: Time to Move Forward — Monday, May 20, 11:15 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
• Stop TB Session: There’s Nothing Latent About Latent TB — Monday, May 20, 1:15-2:15 p.m.
• Respiratory Medical Devices in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Needs and How to Alleviate the Problem — Tuesday, May 21, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• The New Face of Cystic Fibrosis, a Diverse and Global Disease – Tuesday, May 21, 3-4 p.m.