ATS Policy on Advertising

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) Advertising Policy applies to the placements of advertising in all ATS journals, publications - included printed materials - e-newsletters, podcasts, websites, meeting signage, and conference advertising, as well as advertising related to industry programs hosted at ATS meetings and events regardless of publication by ATS, sponsor, or third party.

Advertising placements in any of the above ATS materials does not constitute a guarantee of endorsement by ATS, ATS leadership, staff, or the publishing partners.

Advertisements in all ATS publications are intended to offer reputable manufacturers and distributors of medical products and services an avenue for direct communication with members of the respiratory profession.

ATS reserves the right to modify its advertising policy at any time.

General Principles

1. ATS reserves the right to accept, reject or cancel all advertisements at its sole discretion.
2. Advertisements shall not be deceptive or misleading and will not be accepted if they conflict with ATS codes of ethics or other appropriate Society policies.
3. The acceptance or appearance of an advertisement in a Society publication does not imply or constitute Society endorsement of the product or service, the manufacturer or claims made for the product or service.
4. Products or services accepted for advertising shall further the mission of ATS which is to accelerate global innovation in the advancement of respiratory health through multidisciplinary collaboration, education, and advocacy.
5. The advertiser is responsible for complying with all laws and regulations applicable to the marketing or sale of the products or services advertised.
6. Types of advertisements generally acceptable for consideration: pharmaceutical products; medical-equipment products and services; medical software; practice-management products and services (including office equipment and supplies, medical billing systems, and medical software products); and medical websites, as well as research-related products. Additionally, calls for patients to participate in clinical trials, or clinical-trial matching services if the trial is registered and conducted by a recognized company, academic institution, or reputable CRO are permitted. All types of advertising not described above will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
7. The following minimum criteria apply to all prospective advertisements.
   1. The products or services advertised shall be relevant to, effective in, and useful in the practice of respiratory health, respiratory education, or health care delivery.
   2. The products or services advertised shall be commercially available.
   3. Submission of an ad for a pharmaceutical product assumes prior review and approval of the materials, claims, and design by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP) and advertisers must disclose to ATS if prior review did not occur. ATS may require an advertiser to furnish documentation evidencing approval by a relevant regulatory body, such as OPDP.
8. All advertisements must be clearly identifiable to the reader as advertisements.
9. Advertisements containing statistical statements or clinical studies for drugs, devices, or other products must be based on studies by qualified individuals and contain appropriate citations.
10. Scientific and technical data about a product's safety may be required for review prior to accepting advertising.
11. Research materials and/or other documents and data supporting the statements made in the advertisement may be required for review prior to acceptance of advertising.
12. Products and services that lie outside these guidelines may be accepted for publication at the Society's sole discretion.
13. Comparison Advertising – ATS will accept comparative advertising at its sole discretion. Such advertising will be strictly reviewed because of its potential to unfairly attack a competitor or mislead the profession or public.
14. Equivalency of claims must be identified within the copy submitted and substantiation must be available on request.
15. If equivalency is based on the advertiser's own research, that research must be available on request.
16. Testimonials – Advertisements containing testimonials or those that quote the names, statements, or writings of any individual, public official, government agency, testing group, or other organization must be accompanied by a written consent for use from the quoted individual/entity.
17. ATS may, at its discretion, request changes to materials it deems inappropriate or inconsistent with ATS's mission or organizational practice.
18. Advertisers should cite references from scientific literature in footnotes, provided the reference is truthful and is a fair representation of the body of literature supporting the claim made. Complete scientific and technical data, whether published or unpublished, concerning the safety, operation, and usefulness of the product or service may be required.
19. Unacceptable advertising:
    1. Advertising that conveys ethnic, religious, gender, or age bias or prejudice.
    2. Advertisements disparaging a competitor's product or service.
    3. Comparisons that are false, deceptive or misleading or that unfairly attack a competitor's product or service.
    4. Advertising that resembles editorial material in content and format.
    5. Advertising that highlights a scientific presentation sponsored by ATS that seeks to promote the technology, product, or service of the advertiser and/or the business relationship between the advertiser and a program presenter.
    6. Advertising that promotes products, meetings, and services that compete directly with those offered by ATS and its affiliates.
    7. Advertising that solicits membership by organizations other than ATS.
    8. Advertising that solicits fundraising by organizations or individuals other than ATS.
    9. Advertising that is provided or supported by a company as identified in the POLICY ON INVOLVEMENT OF ATS MEMBERS AND OTHERS PARTICIPATING IN ATS ACTIVITIES WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY

Special Requirements

1. Companies, individuals, or groups wishing to advertise must comply with the following:
   1. All requests must be submitted in writing.
   2. Any advertising requests made for the first time must include a copy of the current product/service literature with the original submission.
   3. The name of the official representative must be included with the original submission.
   4. The company/individual must be in good financial standing with ATS (no outstanding bills/invoices).
2. Advertisements for insurance coverage must be:
   1. Complete and truthful.
   2. Include full disclosure of expectations, exclusions, and limitations affecting the basic provisions of the policy.
   3. Meet the same standards set forth in the above if they contain testimonials.
   4. Include a statement indicating the availability of insurance coverage within the U.S. and abroad.

Technical Requirements

• The advertisement should clearly identify the advertiser of the product or service offered.
• Layout and format of advertising copy shall avoid confusion with editorial content and the word "advertisement" may be required to ensure clarity.