#WMS2024
#WMS2024
Abstract Submission Guidelines Preparing your Presentation Presenting at WMS 2024 Late-Breaking Abstracts
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Prague is a city with an excellent and reliable public transport network. Upon your arrival at the registration desk, you will receive a metro ticket that will help you enable you to reach the Congress hotels and other venues, such as the networking dinner and group activities. Please note that you will need to arrange your own transport back to your Hotel after any Congress event.
More detailed information regarding the transport from the Congress venue to the Group activities will be provided closer to the time
Congresses are full of opportunities to learn and experience new things, but they are also rich in stimulation, and with the constant outward facing and switched on nature they can also be overwhelming, exhausting and triggering, both mentally and physically.
We will have a dedicated quiet space which we are calling our Quiet Room (it will be signposted in the venue) where you can take some quiet time to reground before returning to the Congress activities. No devices, talking, eating or food will be allowed so the space is truly welcoming and calming for all.
Yes, absolutely. We know how important networking is at our Congresses. If you need introductions, please email us in advance or speak to the team at the registration desk onsite. Alternatively, our Congress app features a directory of all attendees and you can message speakers and other delegates using the chat function.
Your booking confirmation email includes a list of everything you have booked. Your joining instructions email, which we'll send you in the days running up to the Congress, will also include this information. You can also contact our Registration Manager for assistance.
There are currently no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Czechia.
There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Czechia or the The Prague Congress Centre.
While there are no current restrictions in Prague or in Czechia more widely, we recognise that some of our delegates are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 and other airborne viruses. We are not introducing any universal requirements, but will make masks and hand sanitiser available and can also provide a separate lanyard that asks other delegates to keep their distance.
Yes, we are excited to be able to bring you eight Industry Symposia sessions during the Congress week. These will run in pairs (two sessions running simultaneously). The Industry Symposia are included in the Congress Programme and are on the Industry Symposia page of the website once the details are confirmed. All Symposia, including the associated Q&A sessions, will be available on demand in the WMS 2024 Congress platform between four and 24 hours after the live stream.
The WMS Industry Symposia sign-up emails sent pre-Congress are to gauge interest only. Any registered delegate for the Congress as a whole can attend any of the days and view all of the content. All symposia plus the recorded Q&A will be available on-demand in the Congress platform between four and 24 hours after the live stream, so if you miss anything you can still catch up in your own time.
Yes, all our sponsors and exhibitors will be available to chat to in-person at the venue. You can also book a meeting, download information, watch videos, send a chat message or question via the Congress app and virtual platform.
Tuesday 14:30-16:00 Exhibitor Opening Reception 14:30-18:00 Exhibition Area Open
Wednesday 10:45-20:00 Exhibition Area Open
Thursday 11:00-14:45 Exhibition Area Open
Friday 10:00-14:00 Exhibition Area Open
Saturday 11:00-14:30 Exhibition Area Open.
There are many reasons for different organisations to get involved in this very important event. If you are looking to attract new partners and collaborators, generate exposure and raise the profile of your organisation then the WMS Congress is for you.
WMS Congresses attract neuromuscular stakeholders from around the world. They will come together online to share, collaborate, learn and inspire. If your organisation is in any way involved in the development of drugs, equipment, research or therapeutic interventions in neuromuscular disorders or interested in the commercialisation of research products then this congress is key.
Please visit the sponsorship and exhibitions page of our website or contact Michelle Naidoo email: [email protected] or Rachel Lockett email: [email protected] for more information or to discuss your requirements and objectives in more detail.
Before the abstract closing date: You will be able to resubmit a replacement abstract.
After the abstract closing date: Send an email to [email protected] advising the correct spelling of the authors.
After files have been sent for typesetting (early August 2024): Changes will only be possible on the Virtual Platform and App.
Posters are categorised based on topic and each topic has a set poster session one to four. We are therefore unable to move your poster to a different poster session.
WMS does not have a strict policy around encore/previously presented abstracts. In general, presentations will be judged according to novelty and interest for the members of the Society. The Journal does not transfer copyright for standalone abstracts (not a part of the article). They have a non-exclusive license to publish those abstracts. So, the author may present/submit their abstract at other conferences.
We recommend a three to five minute video presenting your poster. This will be used as the only presentation for virtual delegates and an introduction to the poster for in-person delegates.
For instructions on converting your file to an MP4 video, follow the instructions on this link.
Before the abstract closing date: You will be able to resubmit a replacement abstract.
After the abstract closing date: Send an email advising the new complete author order list, additional author/s and their affiliation/s.
After files have been sent for typesetting (early August 2024): Changes will only be possible on the Virtual Platform and App.
Please contact [email protected].
The maximum file upload size is 20mb for all file formats.
As this is a hybrid Congress and there are many viewers online, we highly recommend a recorded video (MP4) presentation of your poster to increase engagement and visibility of your poster.
The QR code will contain a link provided by you. This link is not restricted to what it may contain.
Please check the programme for your presentation/s details.
Short Oral presenters are expected to provide a three minute PowerPoint presentation portraying key data. This will take place in-person during the timetabled session.
Please contact Patrizia Male by emailing [email protected].
Your poster number should be in the top left corner as either P and then the number for posters or VP and then the number for virtual posters.
Outcome notification emails will be sent to abstract submitters in late May 2024. In due course information will be uploaded on how to prepare your presentation. If you have any further queries, please contact [email protected].
North Hall, Terrace 2A and Terrace 2B – 2nd Floor.
Poster Highlights will be presented in the Congress Hall on the first floor of the Congress venue.
For all Important Presenter Information please visit the Important Information page of our website.
For Types of Presentations please visit the Types of Presentations page of our website.
For guidance on how to prepare your presentation, please visit the Preparing Presentations page of our website.
For guidance on how to upload your presentation, please visit the How to Upload your Presentation page of our website.
We have also described all expectations of WMS 2024 presenters for all kinds of presentations on the Presenting at WMS 2024 page of our website.
For Poster Presentations please visit the Preparing Presentations page of our website. If you have any further queries, please contact [email protected].
If you don't catch the poster presenter you want to speak to during the poster sessions, registered attendees can chat with the presenter at any time during the Congress week via the Congress app and virtual platform.
For Oral Presentations please visit the Preparing Presentations page of the Congress website.
Yes. A digital abstract journal will be available to all registered Congress delegates, both virtual and in-person, from the opening day of the Congress. It is the author’s responsibility to submit a correct abstract. If accepted, any errors in spelling, grammar, or scientific fact may be reproduced as typed by the author.
The Programme Committee reserves the right to shorten the abstract title to allow its publication in the Congress programme and Neuromuscular Disorders Journal and edit the content to remove acknowledgements and misspellings identified by the Programme Committee. The abstracts will also be available for WMS members and subscribers to the journal, via the journal, after the Congress.
The full programme with accepted abstract titles will be available on the Congress website in June.
The late-breaking abstracts will be added to the programme in late September.
E-Posters will be available to view on the virtual platform and Congress app from the Congress opening day.
Press embargoes stand until 12:00am Central European Standard Time (CEST) (GMT +1) on the day of the presentation for that abstract. For late breaking abstracts, this will be the last day of the Congress.
NMD Journal, as the partner journal of the WMS and the WMS Congress has exclusive rights to publish the presentations in advance of the embargo.
Interviews with presenters, speakers or other people attending as part of the Congress agenda should be arranged through the communications lead, Catherine Ross. Vox pop style interviews with attendees are permitted. Embargoes should be respected at all times.
Because this is a hybrid meeting, the content may be available prior to the session being broadcast at the scheduled time in the programme. In this instance, the media embargo remains as stated above.
The author affiliation for abstracts submitted for WMS 2024 should be for the organisation at which the work was carried out. If, in your new role, you are still providing intellectual input, it may be appropriate to include affiliations to both your previous and current institutions.
No. Your submitted work should be your own. You are welcome to use AI tools, such as Grammarly to check the spelling and proofread your work, but we strongly discourage using AI to generate the text itself.
The WMS audience is global, encompassing all time zones. To meet the needs of our worldwide audience, we make the Congress content as flexible as possible.
All in-person delegates have access to the full virtual programme, so they can catch up on sessions they may have missed.
All virtual delegates can join the sessions live or on demand.
We aim to add on-demand sessions to the virtual platform four to 24 hours after the live stream. You can access this from the Progamme menu in the virtual platform.
Virtual delegates can also engage with presenters and exhibitors using the chat functions, but please be aware the person you are contacting might not be available to respond immediately. Most of the scientific content and exhibition information will remain available on the virtual platform for three months after the Congress.
The only Congress sessions that will not be available in live streaming format will be the poster session presentations and social events.
Virtual delegates will be able to view e-posters via the platform and engage with the presenter via chat.
Please note that only the Pre-Congress Teaching Course sessions on Monday will be live-streamed for virtual delegates. This is because Tuesday's sessions will involve live patients so will not be live-streamed for virtual delegates nor available on demand through the virtual platform.
If you can't join the Course or Congress live, but still want to access all the content, you can register as a virtual delegate and access all of the scientific content for three months afterwards. Please be aware that some presenters ask us to remove their content within two weeks post-Congress.
All sessions and lectures will be available on-demand in the Congress platform between four and 24 hours after the live stream and will remain available for at least two weeks (if speakers/presenters/sponsors have requested removal after this time) or for three months if speakers/presenters/sponsors have provided full consent.
The Pre-Congress Teaching Course is for registered in-person attendees at the course venue and for virtual attendees on the Congress platform. You can find out more about the Course faculty and see the Course programme, including start and finish times on our website.
The Course content will be available on-demand via the virtual Congress platform until three months afterwards and after this via the WMS website for WMS members to access. We will send full joining instructions to all in-person and virtual delegates in the days before the Course starts.
Most Congress sessions include a live Q&A. This is built into the timings for each session.
In-person attendees can put their hands up to ask questions in the room or ask questions via the app. Virtual attendees can submit questions through the virtual platform. Moderators will select a mixture of in-person and virtual attendee questions.
Through the Congress app, you can also interact with other Congress attendees. The app features a directory of everyone who is registered and you can use it to make contact, exchange contact details and make arrangements to meet.
WMS is all about networking! We deliberately schedule long lunch breaks and multiple networking events throughout the Congress to encourage you to make connections.
Due to the packed programme, we discourage Congress sponsors or other organisations from running any kind of meetings in parallel. Any meeting or event which is organised before or after the Congress must not be badged in any way as a pre/post WMS event for example, nor any connection be made to attendees being able to attend as part of their WMS itinerary.
We will launch the Congress virtual platform as the Congress goes live on Tuesday 8th October. We will send everyone who has registered to attend an email with access credentials in the run up to the Congress opening.
The WMS 2024 Congress programme is available to view on our website. The WMS 2024 Pre-Congress Teaching Course (PCTC) programme is available here. The first day of the PCTC will be live-streamed for virtual delegates and available on demand, but we are unable to share the sessions involving live patients on the second day due to patient confidentiality.
The Late Breaking News presentation title and author information will be added to the programme in mid-September and the abstracts will be available in the app, platform and journal at the beginning of the Congress.
We will host four poster sessions where in-person attendees can interact with poster presenters. The posters are available to view throughout the Congress week. Virtual attendees can view the posters as e-posters in the virtual platform and can submit questions to the authors.
The timetabled poster sessions are:
Wednesday 14:30-15:30 and 17:15-18:15
Friday 14:15-15:15 and 15:45-16:45
E-Posters will be available to view on the platform and app from the Congress opening on 8th October 2024.
The poster presenters will have uploaded their E-posters and an optional short video/audio file to accompany their presentation. Poster presenters attending in person will be available during the official poster sessions throughout the week, but messages to the presenter and other delegates can be sent anytime during the Congress week.
All the content which the presenters and speakers have consented to will remain on the platform for three months post-congress for registered delegates to view on demand. A link to each abstract journal file will be added to the presentations on the platform. The abstracts as a whole will be available for WMS members and subscribers to the journal only, via the journal, after the Congress.
Embargoes stand until 12:00am Central European Standard Time (CEST). GMT +1 on the day of the presentation for that abstract. For late breaking abstracts, this will be the last day of the Congress.
NMD Journal, as the partner journal of the WMS and the WMS Congress has exclusive rights to publish the presentations in advance of the embargo.
Interviews with presenters, speakers or other people attending as part of the Congress agenda should be arranged through the communications lead, Catherine Ross. Vox pop style interviews with attendees are permitted. Embargoes should be respected at all times.
Because this is a hybrid meeting, the content may be available prior to the session being broadcast at the scheduled time in the programme. In this instance, the media embargo remains as stated above.
We cover topics relevant across the full age span. Outpatient nurses covering our outpatient neuromuscular clinics would find this conference useful. Depending on their level of involvement in neuromuscular disorders, the pre-congress teaching course may be even more useful.
We take online registrations only and you can book your place here.
Group registrations are no longer available; each individual needs to be registered separately. However, agencies can assist by completing and submitting registrations on behalf of attendees.
During registration, you can indicate if you're registering on behalf of someone else and provide your agency's name. The process remains simple and familiar. You can still pay for the person you're registering.
If your agency cannot cover costs for networking dinners, receptions, or group activities, you can indicate this during registration and we will then share a link via the confirmation email for individuals to select and pay for these costs themselves.
Under UK VAT law, when determining if UK VAT should be charged on our admission fees for live online events such as the Congress, we have to consider the VAT place of supply rules. The place of supply rules determine where a supply takes place for VAT purposes and therefore if UK VAT should be charged.
There are general rules for supplies to business and non-business consumers as well as a number of exceptions to the general rule. The supply of admission to a live online even like our congress falls under the general rule and means the following:
Our understanding is that you are a non-business delegate and therefore we have charged UK VAT. However, should this be incorrect we would be happy to review further. We would need you to provide us with confirmation that you are in business and this would need to be evidenced by way of providing us with your VAT registration number. Please contact [email protected] to provide this information if applicable.
Under UK VAT law, when determining if UK VAT should be charged on our in-person admission fees for events such as the Congress, we have to consider the VAT place of supply rules. The place of supply rules determine where a supply takes place for VAT purposes and therefore if UK VAT or VAT in another jurisdiction should be charged.
There are general rules for supplies to business and non-business consumers as well as a number of exceptions to the general rule. The supply of admission to an in-person event like our Congress falls under one of the exceptions to the general rule. The exception to the general rule states that the place of supply is where the event is taking place irrespective of whether you are a business or a non-business customer. Therefore if the event was to be physically held in the UK, UK VAT would be charged on the entry ticket at the applicable rate.
If the event is held outside of the UK, whether foreign VAT is charged will depend on the specific rules for that country. For an in-person event held in the Czech Republic, Czech VAT is due at the applicable rate on all (both business and non-business customers) in-person tickets.
The presenting author must be registered for the congress in order to be able to submit an abstract. Only the presenting author can be the submitter of an abstract.
An abstract submitted by someone who is not the presenter will be refused.
For the full list of Guidelines, please visit the Abstracts page of our website. If your submitted abstract has been selected for an oral/poster presentation you are not entitled to complimentary registration.
If you have recently applied for or renewed your WMS Membership but the start date is next month, you can still register for the Congress. All you need is your membership number which is mentioned on your payment receipt and your membership expiry date. All that matters is that you have an application/renewal in progress at the time of registration and that it will be current at the time of the Congress.
Please visit our Membership FAQ page for additional useful membership information.
The WMS provides grants of up to £1000 GBP to assist WMS member in-person attendees who have costs associated with their own care or the care of their dependent(s) during the Congress.
For more information about the Caregiver Grant, including how to apply, please visit the Caregiver Grant page of our website.
Yes, you are welcome to attend the Pre-Congress teaching course without attending the full Congress, but we would strongly encourage you to attend the Congress too.
If you have financial barriers to attending the Congress, please look at the Fellowships page of our website and see whether financial support might be available to you.
We have published full details of our fees on the Registration page of our website.
Please be aware that we offer early bird prices for people who book before 5th June 2024.
Unfortunately we can't let you in unless you have pre-registered for the Congress and/ or the Pre-Congress Teaching Course.
It is possible to register for virtual attendance during the Congress, but it may take up to 12 hours for us to send you your virtual platform access credentials.
If you have registered for the Pre-Congress Teaching Course then morning and afternoon refreshment breaks on both days and lunch on Monday are included in your ticket. If you have registered for the course dinner on Monday then that is also included.
For the Congress, morning (on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and afternoon (on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) refreshment breaks and lunch (on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) are included in your ticket. If you have registered separately for the Networking Reception, Group Activity Reception and Networking Dinner then food is also included in those tickets.
If we have to cancel or reschedule the Congress, we will issue refunds in line with our terms and conditions. These are available to view on the Registration page of our website.
If you would like to change your attendance type from in-person to virtual (or virtual to in-person), you can make that request in writing by emailing [email protected] before 1st September 2024.
In-Person Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course Registrations will be closing at midnight (BST) on 11th September 2024.
We strongly encourage all those interested in attending the congress and course to register in plenty of time ahead of the event because we expect numbers to be high.
If you wish to attend virtually, please register in plenty of time before the congress, to ensure that virtual platform access credentials are sent and received in sufficient time and that you have the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the platform and facilities available.
Registrations will remain open for virtual tickets during the meeting. However, if registering in the 48h ahead of the meeting or during the meeting, please expect a minimum 12-hour delay in receiving your access credentials. This means you might miss some of the live-streamed sessions.
The registration desk will be open as follows (local time):
Monday: Pre-Congress Teaching Course 07:30-19:00
Tuesday: Pre-Congress Teaching Course 07:15-11:00, Main Congress 14:30-18:00 Registration, exhibitor highlight welcome refreshments and poster set up, Congress Venue, Second Floor Foyers
Wednesday: 06:30 – 19:30
Thursday: 07:00 – 15:00
Friday: 06:45 – 17:15
Saturday: 08:30 – 14:00
Yes please. All attendees must wear their name badge for all congress sessions including social events.
This is so that we know you are part of the event, but your name badge also contains important information for the organisers such as dietary requirements, membership status and social events booked.
We are working with the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) to obtain accreditation for the Pre-Congress Teaching Course and the main Congress. More information is available on the Certificate of Attendance page of our website.
We are working with the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) to obtain accreditation for the teaching course and the main congress. If approved, each medical specialist should claim only those credits they spent in the educational activity.
Certificates of attendance will be available after completing the online post congress evaluation. If a personalised CME points certificate is required, this can be provided on request.
To attend the meeting virtually, you need a good, stable internet connection, your computer/laptop and a headset/headphones as well as a valid Congress registration. If you have already registered for the Congress, you will receive access credentials for the virtual platform a few days prior to the meeting.
We will email you your access credentials for the virtual platform, which will enable you to gain access to the live and on-demand content, visit the sponsor information and take part in live Q&A sessions ahead of the Congress. Please keep your virtual platform access credentials safe as you may need these details to enter the virtual platform during the programme days and post-congress.
These access credentials are different from the profile log-in account you set up to register for the event (you will not be required to use the registration log in details after you have submitted your registration and have received your confirmation email).
No, unfortunately the slides from the session presentations are not available for download. However, you do have access to the virtual platform until January 2025 in case you want to review any of the sessions.
We recommend using Chrome or an up-to-date modern browser for the best experience when viewing the live sessions in the virtual platform. If you are using Safari, please enable the popup blocker: www.lifewire.com/manage-pop-up-blocker-in-safari-4136249.
During the Congress week there will be live technical support available through the virtual platform and our team will be available onsite to assist you.
If you have any other questions, please contact the organisers or visit us at the registration desk. A member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
There are lots of ways to connect and engage with WMS 2024 attendees. You can follow the #WMS2024 hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to see what we're sharing throughout the Congress.
The Congress App will be available to all delegates nearer the congress. Through the app, you will be able to view the programme schedule, digital posters and audio/video files, sponsor information, participate in session Q&A and polling and connect with other delegates.
Accommodation is not included in your registration fee for the Congress.
Guarant International has been appointed as the official booking agent for the WMS 2024 Congress in Prague and will be happy to assist you with your bedroom reservation or other related arrangements.
We strongly advise booking your accommodation early to take advantage of cheaper prices and more availability of options.
Delegates are entirely responsible for their own accommodation arrangements and payments. Please do not book accommodation if you do not have a confirmed Congress registration. Please visit the Accommodation page of our website for more information
Every year the WMS awards fellowships, funded by an annual royalty from Neuromuscular Disorders by Elsevier. For the WMS 2024 Congress WMS will support up to 100 fellowships awarded to help in-person Congress attendees who submit an abstract with their travel and accommodation costs.
The Programme Committee selects the recipients based on the quality of the abstracts submitted and the analysis of a brief biography provided during the registration process (including relevant special interest and expertise, details of current position and the importance of the work to be presented). Please visit the Fellowships page of our website for more information
We have added information about Prague, travel in the city, tourist information and information about language, currency and tipping culture to the General Information page of our website.
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all our guests. The Prague Congress Centre is fully wheelchair accessible and provides full accessibility for disabled people.
We have created a dedicated Accessibility page of the Congress website to explain the ways in which we are working to make this Congress more accessible and will add to this as the Congress approaches.
Absolutely. We are working closely with the catering teams to provide a healthy, balanced meal for all delegates. We know how frustrating it is if you have dietary requirements and there isn't a proper meal provided at events.
If you have any queries, please contact [email protected] or visit the Accessibility page of our website for more information.
Czechia is a member of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen area. Therefore, most tourist visitors do not require a visa to visit Prague, just a valid passport (or ID card for EU citizens).
Obtaining a Schengen visa requires careful planning and adherence to specific timelines. The processing time for visas can vary depending on various factors, including the volume of applications received and the complexity of individual cases. Therefore, it is crucial to apply well in advance of your intended travel dates to avoid any last-minute complications or delays.
Find out more about visa requirements on the Information page of our website.
If you need an invitation letter, and didn't request one during the registration process, please contact the Registration Manager by email at [email protected].
