Embargo Policy

• Non-Late-Breaking Science abstracts: embargoes lift at 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.
• Late-Breaking Basic Science posters and e-posters: embargoes lift at 10:30 a.m. CT/11:30 a.m. ET on Sat., Nov. 16, 2024.
• Late-Breaking Science (LBS), Featured Science (FS) and Late-Breaking Basic Science (LBBS) abstracts: embargoes lift at the exact date and time of presentation for each individual abstract at Scientific Sessions, available here SS24 Abstract Search/Program Planner.

• Only accredited media - such as camera crews, news producers and reporters – who are registered are allowed to conduct recorded interviews or shoot photos/videos at AHA/ASA scientific meetings.
• Photos/video recording are permitted in the following areas of AHA/ASA scientific meetings:
  
• The AHA News Media Center, including news briefings, conferences, interview rooms and other locations as approved by AHA Communications staff.
• Concourse areas, hallways and select “Main Event” sessions.
• Only non-flash photography of speakers and their materials during oral or poster presentations is permitted.
• The Late-Breaking Science presentations may be recorded for use in original news stories only, from a locked position on the riser available for news media in the Main Event presentation hall.
• For flash photography or video recording in a specific booth in the Science and Technology Exhibit Hall, permission must be received from the booth manager and the AHA exhibits manager to ensure that an escort is available for the video crew. All images are restricted to the single booth and may not include any general b-roll of the overall hall or footage of any other booth not approved.
• Media who want to record general b-roll or photos of the AHA’s HeartQuarters booth in the Science and Technology Exhibit Hall must request permission in advance from the AHA Communications team for approval and to arrange an escort; availability is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Please send an email to: AHACommunications@heart.org.
• Advance request, approval and consent by the AHA and the speaker/presenter are required for still photographs (no flash) or audio recordings in any meeting rooms intended for republication or public distribution.
• Republication of presenters’ slides requires written approval from the speaker/presenter.
• Photos and video recording are prohibited in the following areas of AHA/ASA scientific meetings:
  
• Video interviews are prohibited in the Science and Technology Exhibit Hall and must be conducted outside of the Hall.
• Video recording is not permitted in meeting rooms or poster sessions. Only still photographs (no flash) may be taken of a specific poster with the poster author’s permission.

• By accepting AHA/ASA embargoed news materials by email, fax, regular mail, from the AHA/ASA’s embargoed, password-protected online newsroom, or media registration for scientific meetings, or any other sources, reporters agree to honor the AHA/ASA embargo date and time, as listed on all news materials.
• AHA/ASA news materials may be available to select reporters under embargo to facilitate the development of original news content. Embargoed documents may be shared only with experts in order to prepare for media interviews and with agreement to honor the AHA/ASA embargo. Embargoed information may not be published prior to the date and time the embargo lifts. Journalists sharing information with expert sources for interviews bear the responsibility of ensuring those sources abide by the AHA/ASA embargo.
• Failure to abide by the AHA/ASA embargo policy may lead to suspension of access to: AHA/ASA embargoed materials, media credentials/registration for AHA/ASA scientific meetings and pre-embargo interviews with AHA/ASA volunteer experts. The media outlet that employs the reporter who has broken an embargo may also be suspended.

• Researchers, clinicians or health care professionals who are members of the writing committee for an AHA/ASA Scientific Statement, Guideline, Presidential Advisory, Science Advisory, Policy Statement are not permitted to share any information, about the content of the article with the news media, colleagues or institution, including the fact that the document is in progress, prior to the AHA communications department issuing an embargoed news release.
• AHA/ASA Scientific Statement, Guidelines, Presidential Advisories, Science Advisories or Policy Statements represent official AHA/ASA positions on specific topics, therefore, medical institutions, hospitals, universities or any other organization are not permitted to issue a news release to promote the findings of the statement, list any other institutions or committee members, or include quotes from anyone other than their faculty member. They are permitted to promote their faculty member’s participation as a member of the AHA/ASA writing group only and only after the embargo has lifted/the paper has published.

• Research authors or their medical institution or university may distribute an embargoed news release 2 business days prior to the embargo date, and authors of studies and representatives from the institution may conduct embargoed media interviews during the 2-day pre-embargo period.
• Please include the name of the AHA scientific journal in which the study is being published or the name of the AHA/ASA’s scientific meeting where the study is being presented in the news release – such as “publishing in the American Heart Association’s scientific journal Circulation on [date, time]” or “to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023, on [date, time].”
• Manuscript and abstract authors are allowed to participate in embargoed media interviews as long as the embargo date and time are confirmed and agreed upon with the reporter/journalist and their media outlet.

• For non-late-breaking science, Featured Science and Late-Breaking Basic Science abstracts:
  • Researchers, authors, universities, medical institutions and health care organizations that are involved in a study may distribute their own embargoed news release 2 business days prior to the embargo, and authors of studies and representatives from the institution may conduct embargoed media interviews during the 2-day pre-embargo period with journalists who agree to honor the embargo.
  • Promotional media activities (such as media briefings/news conferences, satellite media tours, corporate receptions or investigator meetings) may not be held until after the embargo lifts.
  • Please inform the AHA/ASA Communications department if you plan to issue a news release for an abstract being presented at an AHA/ASA scientific meeting by providing:
    • The full name of the abstract;
    • The first and last authors’ names as they are listed on the abstract; and
    • If it is being published in a scientific journal, please include the name of the journal where it is being published or the name of the meeting where it will be presented.

Please send this information to the AHA/ASA Communications department: AHACommunications@heart.org

• News releases may not be issued in advance of the embargo, and embargoed media pitching and interviews are prohibited for all Late-Breaking Science abstracts.
• Embargoed materials (slides, manuscript, etc.) may not be distributed to the news media prior to the embargo date and time. Reporters may contact the AHA/ASA communications department for manuscripts and/or abstracts.
• If selected for presentation in an AHA/ASA news briefing, the presentation is limited to one author. One additional co-author may be in attendance at the AHA/ASA news briefing, however, please note, co-authors who are employed by a corporate sponsor are not permitted to attend. Corporate sponsor representatives are prohibited from attending any AHA/ASA media events at AHA/ASA scientific meetings.

• Sharing any embargoed information including news releases, statements, slides, notes or advance promotion or media pitching are prohibited until after the embargo lifts.
• If a company feels that for legal reasons it is obligated to release information about a study prior to the AHA/ASA embargo date and time, the company must notify AHA/ASA in advance, in writing, regarding the legal rationale as to why the information must be disclosed, and advise specifically who would receive the information, how/when the information would be disclosed and exactly what information would be released. AHA/ASA then will determine whether the study shall remain on the program of an AHA/ASA meeting or be published in an AHA/ASA scientific journal.
  • One specific consideration will be whether the company plans to release qualitative information (i.e., the primary endpoint was/was not met) rather than quantitative data (specific study results).
  • Please send this information to: AHAScientificAbstracts@heart.org.
• Pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers or companies that are corporate sponsors of a study and their representatives may have representatives available to answer incoming inquiries from the media after the embargo lifts.
• Pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers or companies that are corporate sponsors of a study and their representatives are not permitted to conduct any type of event where media are in attendance until after the embargo lifts.
• Industry and exhibitor events for the news media are not permitted during AHA/ASA’s scientific meeting operating hours. Permission for official satellite events must be obtained from the AHA scientific meetings department.
• Media are not permitted to be invited or to attend investigator meetings. Violating this policy is considered an embargo break and penalties apply.
• Company representatives are not permitted to distribute literature, statements or news releases in or around the adjacent hallways and areas of the official AHA/ASA News Media Center at AHA/ASA scientific meetings.
• The AHA/ASA News Media Center and facilities are restricted to use only by accredited journalists. PR representatives from industry, pharmaceutical or device companies are not permitted to use the AHA/ASA News Media Center for any activities.
• Representatives from public relations departments, agencies or companies involved in a study are not permitted to attend the AHA/ASA embargoed news briefings or news conferences at AHA/ASA scientific meetings.

• AHA/ASA embargoed information is provided to facilitate the development of original news content. Embargoed documents may be shared only with experts in order to prepare for media interviews and with agreement to honor the AHA/ASA embargo. Articles may not be published prior to the date and time the embargo lifts. Journalists sharing information with expert sources for interviews bear the responsibility of ensuring those sources abide by the AHA/ASA embargo.
• If an embargo is broken due to a researcher conducting an advance interview or due to embargoed distribution of any written or visual information by the researcher, their public relations department/agency/institution, a corporate sponsor or study partner, the manuscript or abstract may be pulled from publication in the AHA journal or may be pulled from being presented at the AHA/ASA scientific meeting, at the discretion of AHA leadership.
• Failure to honor the AHA/ASA embargo may jeopardize future acceptance of manuscripts, abstracts, studies and/or presentations at any AHA/ASA scientific meetings or for publication in any AHA/ASA scientific journal.