COVID Policies

In the wake of increasing COVID-19 concerns, your safety is our number one priority!

There will be an onsite mask mandate, BMES will encourage a no-touch policy, maintain seating that is socially distant, and we will have temperature checks upon registration. Learn more.

Health and Safety

An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, senior citizens and attendees with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable. By attending the 2021 BMES Annual Meeting, you voluntarily assume all risks related to COVID-19 exposure.

By attending the 2021 BMES Annual Meeting, you are confirming that you:
Are not experiencing any of the following COVID-19 symptoms, as identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Have not been in contact with someone who confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms without completing a 14-day quarantine.
• Are not under any self-quarantine orders.

While we cannot require that attendees be vaccinated, we highly encourage those who attend BMES 2021 to get vaccinated not only for their safety but also for those around them.

BASH Policy

As part of our efforts to keep BMES attendee safe for the BASH, we will limit capacity to 35-40 per bus. We encourage guests to social distance, board through the back of the bus and move forward. We will also be asking our guest to leave space between them and another party. We will also “reserve/ block” the seats directly behind the driver. Guests will be asked to wear masking during the duration of the transfer. Hand sanitizer will be available to all drivers and guests.

Cancellation Policy

Due to capacity limitations as a result of health and safety precautions, all conference registrations are final, non-refundable, and non-transferrable. For further assistance, please contact registrar@bmes.org.

Photo and Video Release

By attending the 2021 BMES Annual Meeting, you are entering an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur.

Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with BMES and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news, and advertising.

By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video, or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for the use of such record media.

You understand that all photography, film, and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.

Taking photos or videotaping any exhibit booth or poster except your own is prohibited.

Code of Conduct

All attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, staff, and volunteers participating in the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting are required to agree with the following code of conduct. Organizers will enforce this code throughout the event. We expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe environment for everyone.

BMES is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery are inappropriate for any conference venue, including talks, workshops, social events, and all online social media. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the conference organizers’ discretion.

Harassment includes offensive verbal or written comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces and virtual forums, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other meeting content, inappropriate physical or digital contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the conference organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the conference with no refund.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact the conference chairs or a member of the conference staff immediately. Contact information for the Annual Meeting team is available on our website and will be shared with all participants prior to the start of the event.

Conference staff is available to help participants contact local law enforcement or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the conference. We value your attendance and want to ensure a safe environment for everyone at the meeting.

Code of Ethics

Biomedical engineering is a learned profession that combines expertise and responsibilities in engineering, science, technology, and medicine. Since public health and welfare are paramount considerations in each of these areas, biomedical engineers must uphold those principles of ethical conduct embodied in this Code in professional practice, research, patient care, and training. This Code reflects voluntary standards of professional and personal practice recommended for biomedical engineers.

Biomedical Engineering Professional Obligations
Biomedical engineers in the fulfillment of their professional engineering duties shall:
1. Use their knowledge, skills, and abilities to enhance the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
2. Strive by action, example, and influence to increase the competence, prestige, and honor of the biomedical engineering profession.

Biomedical Engineering Health Care Obligations
Biomedical engineers involved in health care activities shall:
1. Regard responsibility toward and rights of patients, including confidentiality and privacy, as their primary concern.
2. Consider the larger consequences of their work regarding cost, availability, and delivery of health care.

Biomedical Engineering Research Obligations
Biomedical engineers involved in research shall:
1. Comply fully with legal, ethical, institutional, governmental, and other applicable research guidelines, respecting the rights of and exercising the responsibilities to colleagues, human and animal subjects, and the scientific and general public.
2. Publish and/or present properly credited results of research accurately and clearly.

Biomedical Engineering Training Obligations
Biomedical engineers entrusted with the responsibilities of training others shall:
1. Honor the responsibility not only to train biomedical engineering students in proper professional conduct in performing research and publishing results, but also to model such conduct before them.
2. Keep training methods and content free from inappropriate influence from special interests.

Attendees who cannot confirm all the above criteria must not attend the 2021 BMES Annual Meeting.