Exhibitor Event Policies & Procedures

Exhibitors are permitted, with written AUA approval, to hold ancillary "exhibitor-sponsored" events during AUA2024 in San Antonio, TX from Thursday, May 2 – Monday, May 6, per the function guidelines below. Please note the new section for 2024 regarding fees for specific event types.

Permission to hold exhibitor-sponsored events, regardless of the venue, is restricted to companies who have a presence in the Science & Technology Hall and are therefore considered "exhibitors."

If you do not currently have a presence in the S&T Hall and would like more information on these opportunities, please contact exhibits@AUAnet.org.

The AUA offers its assistance to exhibitors who wish to reserve AUA contracted meeting space for their events taking place during AUA2024 meeting dates. The AUA has reserved space at the Hyatt Regency, Henry B. González Convention Center Hotel and the Marriott Marquis San Antonio Hotel. Function space is limited and reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Hotels will not reserve meeting rooms or function space to any group without prior written AUA approval.

Meeting space for exhibitor-sponsored events is not available in Henry B. González Convention Center unless the event is contracted with the AUA as a sponsorship opportunity (i.e. ExpoSuites, Product Theaters, Satellite Symposia).

All events taking place outside of official AUA hotel meeting space remain subject to the Function Guidelines and must be approved in writing by the AUA. This includes any and all events that are taking place during AUA2024 meeting dates with AUA attendees present regardless of the location (i.e. restaurants, AUA official or unofficial hotels, special event venues, etc.) as well as company-wide meetings (i.e. staff offices, pre-con meeting space, etc.).

Exhibit Company Staff Rooms

• Offices: Rooms reserved on a 24-hour basis for exhibit company staff to use as an office, workroom, hospitality suite or meal room. AUA2024 attendees are not permitted in this space unless they are a full-time employee of the Exhibiting Company for which the room is reserved.
• Meeting Rooms: Rooms reserved for exhibit company staff to use as a space to hold a pre-con meeting or a daily debrief meeting. AUA2024 attendees are not permitted in this space unless they are a full-time employee of the Exhibiting Company for which the room is reserved.

Nonpromotional Social Events

Social functions are strictly networking events with no educational or promotional components. These include, but are not limited to, events such as receptions and dinners held at nearby restaurants, special event venues, or AUA official or unofficial hotels contracted meeting space.

Promotional Social Events

A social event is considered promotional if it includes presentations of any type, product demonstrations, and/or any visible advertising at the event. These include, but are not limited to, events such as receptions and dinners held at nearby restaurants, special event venues, or AUA Official or unofficial hotels where presentations, demonstrations, and/or any visible advertising is visible.

Committee and Advisory Board Meetings

These are meetings of committees, task forces or advisory members, executive boards, or steering committees involving Exhibiting Companies, that meet at AUA as part of their regular meeting schedule.

Investigator/KOL/Thought Leader Meetings

These are sponsored and financially supported meetings held by a pharmaceutical/biotech organization, academic center, non-profit organization, or consortium. Investigator meetings are closed to the public and must focus on institutional review board or regulatory agency approved protocol and must review or conduct results of a specific study, current clinical trial or products. Promotional meetings for data presentation or to launch a drug or study are prohibited.

Contracted Educational Events

The AUA also offers special events created for industry sponsorship. These events are of limited availability and must be contracted with the AUA. The program application for these events will suffice as the Exhibitor-Sponsored Event Approval Form. The content of these events should not duplicate content presented in other AUA-sponsored educational programs. The following events should be contracted separately through the AUA:

Satellite Symposia: CME Programming

• Satellite Symposia are strictly educational meetings that offer CME credit and a modest meal as defined by the AMA Code of Ethics. The AUA does not manage or provide CME accreditation for these events; however, designation of AMA PRA Category 1™ credit is required. A support fee is attached to this event and additional benefits accompany this opportunity. For more information on this program, contact Mikayla Barlett at mbarlett@AUAnet.org.

Product Theaters: Non-CME Programming

• The Product Theater is the premiere venue for industry to hold non-CME educational programming regarding new products and services and the latest in data and research findings to meet patients’ needs. A limited number of 45-minute timeslots will be available inside the theater located within the S&T Hall. There is a fee associated with this event which includes the theater space, a basic A/V package, as well as a generous promotional package. These events are open to all AUA2024 attendees. For more information, contact Keith Price at kprice@AUAnet.org.

Device Tech Talks

• Modeled after Ted Talks, the Device Tech Talk stage is for device companies to give a short promotional pitch and demonstration of their product. Each company will have 20 minutes to showcase their product followed by a 5-minute Q&A session with the audience. Talks will run daily 10 a.m. - Noon and 1 - 3 p.m. for a total of 24 available timeslots. Companies are limited to two timeslots per day. For more information, contact Keith Price at kprice@AUAnet.org.

The AUA charges a non-refundable fee to exhibitors holding the following types of events with AUA2024 meeting attendees present:

• Promotional Social Functions
• Committee & Advisory Board Meetings
• Investigator/KOL/Thought Leader Meetings

An exhibitor may hold 1-3 of any combination of events listed above, within the approved timeframes for each, for the following fees:

• Events for 75 people or less: $5,000*
• Events for more than 75 people: $8,000*

*The fee is based on the event with the highest attendance number

The fee includes:

• Approval of up to three events
• Logistical support if being held within AUA Meeting Space (See “Events Held in Hotel Meeting Space” above. Space is limited and not guaranteed.)

Additional Fees

• All additional services required are at the expense of the exhibitor

Example: An exhibitor would like to host two promotional dinners at a local restaurant and a KOL Meeting in an AUA hotel meeting room. Each dinner will have 50 people and the KOL Meeting will have 20. The fee to hold these three events would be $5,000.

In order to maximize attendee engagement in the scientific program and the S&T Hall, we limit the number of available ancillary exhibitor-sponsored events, as well as the times they are permitted. Please see the chart below for permitted dates and times associated with each exhibitor-sponsored event.

*Date and times outlined in the below chart indicate when exhibitor-sponsored events are permitted.

Definitions

* Industry Promotional Social Function: A social event is considered promotional if it includes presentations of any type, product demonstrations, and/or any visible advertising at the event. These include, but are not limited to, events such as receptions and dinners held at nearby restaurants, special event venues, or AUA official or unofficial hotels.

** Official AUA Non-CME Industry Program: Includes Product Theaters, Device Tech Talks, Bioskills Hub, sponsored Clinical Trials activities and any other non-CME industry supported programming (except Industry promotional social functions).

*** The AUA welcomes exhibitors to attend the Urology Care Foundation’s 2024 benefit on Friday, May 3 as a great way to network. This exciting event will unite the urology community in an effort to raise awareness and support the Urology Care Foundation’s Research and Education programs. For information and sponsorship opportunities please contact Cynthia Duncan at cduncan@AUAnet.org.

AUA Speakers and Faculty must adhere to policies for participating in industry-sponsored programs at the Annual Meeting as outlined below.

• • Key AUA Leadership is not permitted to participate in industry- sponsored programs of any kind.
    • Key leadership includes the AUA Board of Directors, Chair of Education, AUA Assistant Secretaries, Editor of The Journal of Urology®, Chair of Publications, Chair of Public Policy Council, Chair of Science & Quality Council, Chair of Coding and Reimbursement Committee, Chair of Practice Guidelines Committee, Chair of Judicial and Ethics Committee and Chair of Research.
  • Plenary Session participants may not speak at an industry exhibit booth, Industry Promotional Social Function or Official AUA Non-CME Industry Program** during the official days of the Annual Meeting.
  • Plenary Session participants are allowed to present data at AUA press conferences at the Annual Meeting.
  • Select AUA CME program moderators, directors, chairs, and faculty (see attached list of included AUA programs) may not speak at an industry exhibit booth or at an Industry Promotional Social Function*.

Presentations may be made at Official AUA Non-CME Industry Programs**, provided the following criteria are met:

• 1. Proper disclosure of any relationship the presenter has with the supporting company
  2. The presentation is original and not duplicated during the official AUA Annual Meeting
  3. The presentation is based on scientific principles that are generally accepted as valid by the urology profession
• Podium Presenters, Poster Presenters, Abstract Authors and Abstract Co-Authors may speak at an industry exhibit booth and Official AUA Non-CME Industry Programs**(provided these presentations conform to a. – c. as referenced above).

Covered AUA CME Programs Include:

• Plenary Sessions
• Moderated Poster Sessions
• Podium Sessions
• Video Sessions
• Courses
• Instructional Courses
• Hands-on Skills Training
• Forums
• Basic Sciences Symposium
• Bladder Cancer Forum
• Challenges for Urologic Research
• Innovations in Men’s Health
• History of Urology Forum
• International Prostate Forum
• Research Independent Practice Symposium
• Urologic Oncology Research Symposium
• Urologic Care for the Advanced Practice Provider

The Following Programs are Exempt from the Speaker/Faculty Policies:

• Residents Forum
• Residents Bowl
• Young Urologists Forum
• Subspecialty Society Programs
• International Society Programs
• Residents Twitter Challenge
• Research Forum: Early Career Investigators Showcase
• Innovation Nexus Symposium
• Medical Student Forum
• Patient Perspectives
• Residents and Fellows Speed Mentoring
• Robotics Theater

The electronic Exhibitor-Sponsored Event and Space Request Form will be available beginning December 2023, if requesting AUA contracted meeting space. All event approval and space requests must be submitted through the online form in order to be processed. A new form must be submitted for each individual event. Exhibitors must read and acknowledge the Compliance with Exhibitor-Sponsored Event Guidelines outlined above before request(s) can be submitted. Space requests will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until April 9, 2024. If an exhibitor needs to cancel or make changes to an existing request, please contact operations@AUAnet.org.

To gain approval for an AUA Speaker or Faculty Member to speak in an exhibitor booth in the S&T Hall, please fill out the Booth Activity and Giveaway Form no later than April 9, 2024.

Any and all charges for services levied by the hotels, other venues, and/or vendors are the responsibility of the function organizer (or Exhibitor). The AUA is not responsible for payment of any services connected with the event. The AUA has no authority over any service charges, rental fees, food & beverage minimums, set-up fees, labor contracts, etc., that are required by any venue or vendor.

*Please see individual permissible educational event contract for a detailed outline of what is included with the support fee.

1. Exhibitors and all persons furnished by or acting on behalf of Exhibitors will comply at their own expense with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations and codes, including the identification and procurement of required permits, certificates, licenses, insurance, approvals, inspection, regulatory (e.g. emission) and safety (e.g. UL) requirements. Exhibitors acknowledge and understand that products may be subject to restrictions upon export from the United States and upon resale after export. Exhibitors represent and warrant that they will comply fully with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, all relevant regulations of the U.S. Department of Commerce, with the U.S. Export Administration Act, and with any other import and/or export control laws or regulations of the United States. Exhibitor shall promptly notify Show Management if the Exhibitor knows or has reason to believe that any of Exhibitor’s products contain a defect that could create a product hazard or risk of serious injury or death.
2. The exhibitors requesting space or approval to hold an event are responsible for the actions of anyone affiliated with this event and will be expected to follow all rules and guidelines outlined in the “Exhibitor-Sponsored Event Guidelines” and AUA’s Code of Conduct. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to distribute copies of this information to the appropriate company personnel and/or any agents, representatives or contractors involved in planning activities at the AUA Annual Meeting (e.g. third-party planners, advertising and PR agencies, contractors, staff, etc.).
3. Groups occupying space in the hotels must provide appropriate staff to coordinate all such activities.
4. Functions found to be in violation of these guidelines shall be immediately discontinued and may lose priority points.
5. The exhibitor waives any rights to claims of damages arising out of the enforcement of these Policies.
6. The AUA reserves the right to attend any exhibitor-sponsored function without notice.
7. Violators of this policy will jeopardize their ability, as well as the ability of any third-parties associated with planning their event, to participate in future AUA Annual Meetings.
8. All matters and questions not covered by the above policies are subject to the discretion of the AUA.
9. These AUA guidelines may be amended at any time by the AUA, and all amendments shall be equally binding on all parties. In the event of any amendment or addition to these policies, written notice will be given by the AUA to such parties.
10. In limited circumstances, the AUA reserves the right to reassign meeting space to accommodate the needs of any AUA programming or other events. The AUA will make reasonable efforts to minimize disruption of ancillary event planning and written notice will be given by the AUA to the affiliated party.

The exhibitor shall protect, indemnify, hold harmless and defend the American Urological Association, Inc., the American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc., the Urology Care Foundation, and any and all of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees, and assigns (together “AUA”) against all claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to injury, loss or damage caused by or resulting from the gross negligence of the AUA.

There are various vendors affiliated with the convention center and each individual hotel. A list of exclusive vendors will be provided to the exhibitor upon assignment of meeting space. Use of any outside vendors that are not included within the official vendor list is prohibited unless prior written approval was given by both the AUA and the venue.

View AUA2024 Official Vendor List

Meeting attendees active on social media on behalf of a commercial organization are subject to adherence to AUA Speaker Guidelines. Participants active in social media campaigns that are not part of an official AUA activity must follow the guidance noted in Column 1 in the above chart. Participants active in social media campaigns that are part of an official AUA activity must follow the guidance noted in Column 4.

The AUA does not co-sponsor exhibitor programs. Announcements and/or invitations must clearly indicate the name(s) of the sponsor(s) and/or exhibitor(s). Proposed copy for announcements and invitations must be submitted to the AUA Industry Relations Department for review prior to printing. Announcements and invitations may include the AUA Annual Meeting logo only (never the AUA corporate logo) with prior written permission. Please submit promotional materials for approval to Keith Price at kprice@AUAnet.org.