Medical congresses are very popular for over 50 years. Physicians like to attend congresses not only because they can update their knowledge, but mainly because they can meet their peers, socialize, share information. That is why the web did not decrease dramatically attendance in the congresses.
There are international, national and regional congresses. 10 years ago, 50,000 healthcare professionals attended for example the American college of Cardiology. These numbers dropped to 38000 in the last years. The European congresses became more popular, but mainly the more focused topics. Specialists attend more congresses that deal with their special field of interest. For example, a cardiologist interested in Heart Failure will attend a meeting focused on Heart failure. A gynecologist interested in Reproductive medicine will attend a meeting covering this aspect and not a huge international meeting.
What about the GP congresses? Is it the same? On one hand GPs like to be updated and meet peers, on the other hand they also like focused topics.
And what about the industry? There is a clear trend in the industry to attend congresses which focuses on their special product. I call these meetings “boutique” meeting. The attendees are already segmented, since the physician chooses to attend the congresses which deals with the topic of his interest.
Ethics barriers for sure created a lot of difficulties sponsoring physicians’ attendance in theses congresses.
What do we forecast in the congresses area to happen in the next 10 years? Personally I think that the overall decrease in the pharmaceutical “mass” products and a lot of loss of patent will decrease the budgets the industry allocated to these congresses. The decrease in the ability to sponsor physicians will also affect and there will be a decrease in overall attendance.
Medical device Industry will balance the pharmaceutical industry in sponsoring congresses since this industry is growing fast.
So, I believe the medical congresses will continue, but there will be a shift to smaller meetings and more medical device exposure.
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