Spring 2010 Group Meeting

Group Meeting Registration  has closed. Schedule of Events Meeting Booklet Plenary Agenda – The Plenary Session will be held on Friday, April 16. Following Dr. Baker's brief update on the state of SWOG, he and Dr. Alfred Berg of the University of Washington will give talks on comparative effectiveness research and its role in SWOG's future direction. Report of Studies(Printed copies no longer provided) Hotel Reservations To cancel or change your Hyatt reservation, call 888-421-1442. Travel – Conlin Travel is our partner for Group Meeting air travel. Exhibitor Information Helpful Sites: San Francisco San Francisco Weather Travel Airlines

Group Meeting Logistics

Conlin Travel	Membership Application Deadline
CRA Clinical Trials Training Course	Nursing Committee Workshop
CRA Special Session	CRA Open Forum
Crush the Crab Walk/5K Run	CME Information
No More SELECT Meetings
No Credit Card?	Need Special Accommodations?

Travel Arrangements Through Conlin Travel

Southwest Oncology Group has contracted with Conlin Travel to provide discounted travel arrangements for the Spring Group Meeting in San Francisco. You may take advantage of the discounted rates by making your reservations either by calling Conlin directly at 800-783-9559 or on-line through Conlin Travel. Be sure to mention that you are traveling to San Francisco for the SWOG meeting.If your travel is not funded directly by the Group Chair's Office, you may use Conlin Travel; however, you will be required to pay for your airfare upfront. You will then need to request reimbursement after the Group Meeting, if applicable.

Membership Application Deadline

The deadline for submitting membership nominations to the Operations Office for consideration by the Board of Governors at the Spring Group Meeting is March 5. Consult the Membership page for more information; for a complete outline of the nomination process, refer to Policy Memorandum No. 7.

CRA Clinical Trials Training Course

The Clinical Trials Training Course will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, April 14-15. It introduces the fundamentals of Southwest Oncology Group and National Cancer Institute (NCI) policies and procedures. It provides the foundation to efficiently perform responsibilities as a Clinical Research Associate. This course is intended for CRAs who work on Southwest Oncology Group therapeutic studies, not the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT).

Nursing Committee Workshop

The Nursing Committee Workshop will be held on Thursday, April 15, 8:45 am-12:00 pm, following the Nursing Committee business meeting. The Workshop will focus on "Survivorship Issues in Cancer Patients." Speakers will include Drs. Heather Greenlee and Helen Chew, Wendy Goldberg, RN, and a new drug update by Dr. Siu Fun Wong.

To sign up, choose Nursing Committee Workshop as an event during Group Meeting on-line registration. Please note: Handouts will not be provided at the workshop, but will be available later from the link below. You will need to print the handouts and bring with you to the group meeting. Thank you for your cooperation in this cost saving measure.

This activity has been submitted to the Oncology Nursing Society for approval to award contact hours. ONS is accredited as an approver of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's COA.

CRA Special Session on Regulatory Affairs

The CRA Plenary Session and Continuing Education Workshop have been combined for the spring meeting. They will hold a special 2-day workshop focusing on regulatory affairs issues. Part I of the workshop will be held on Thursday, April 15th from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Part II will be held on Friday, April 16th from 8:00-11:00 am. Some of the planned topics include: the review process for consents (continuing review, expedited review and full board review), the centralized IRB, the audit process, and assurances.

Please note: Handouts will not be provided at the workshop, but will be available later from a link in this section. SoCRA attendance certificates will be provided.

CRA Open Forum

The CRA Open Forum offers the opportunity to discuss all of your technical questions!

The Clinical Research Associates Open Forum is set for Thursday, April 15, 4:15-6:00 pm. This forum offers a great opportunity to get answers to your clinical trial questions and to address the science and technical research issues that challenge us today! Come meet your facilitator in a small group setting to discuss interesting topics including:

• Quality Assurance Review
• Data Management Tips/Tools for CRAs
• Serious Adverse Events Reporting
• Investigational New Drugs
• Specimen Preparation and Shipment
• SWOG Financial Payment Ins and Outs
• Cancer Treatment Modalities
• Regulatory Affairs
• Nursing Committee
• SWOG CTI – Pharma Funded Trials
• CTSU – OPEN Training and Q&A

Look for these topics at the group meeting. Members of the CRA Committee will also be present to meet with CRAs. For more information or suggestions, contact pamela.frazier-jones@swedish.org.

Crush the Crab 5K Run and 2.5K Walk

When: 5:45 am, Thursday (note new day), April 15.

Where: The start and finish will be at the hotel, to allow participants maximum time to get ready for 8AM meetings. The course will be along San Francisco's famous Embarcadero, with views of the piers, the bay, and Alcatraz Island.

Entry fee: There will be no fee to participate. Sign up online when you register for the meeting, or at the registration desk on site. All participants will receive a free commemorative t-shirt.

No More SELECT Meetings

SELECT workshops and related meetings will no longer be held. No travel reimbursement will be provided for SELECT sites to attend the group meeting.

Need Special Accommodations?

Group members with disabilities are encouraged to contact the meetings manager (210-614-8808) after registering on-line for the Group meeting, for any needed special arrangements or accommodations to fully participate in all Group Meeting functions.

Don't Have a Credit Card?

For guests without credit cards, the hotel requires payment of one night's room and tax within 14 days of making a reservation in order to hold the room. In addition, for individual guests who do not have a major credit card at check-in, the Hyatt Regency San Francisco requires full payment of room and tax in advance, along with a refundable deposit for incidentals, $100.00 for the first day and $50.00 for each additional day. If the guest does not want to establish credit for incidentals, the hotel restricts telephone access (except from room to room), check-signing privileges from the hotel's outlets, in-room movie access, and mini bar access. For your convenience, the hotel accepts the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Carte Blanche and Diner's Club.