The 36th ESCMID congress in Munich offers three critical insights for the infectious disease research community. First, in-person conferences have proven indispensable for countering medical misinformation and maintaining scientific integrity in an increasingly politicized environment. Second, significant barriers—particularly cost at 85 percent and inclusion challenges at 72 percent—prevent equitable global participation in these essential gatherings.
Third, personal networking and face-to-face collaboration remain irreplaceable catalysts for scientific breakthroughs and institutional partnerships. Despite these challenges, conference attendees reported renewed motivation and direction through exposure to evidence-based research and collegial exchange.
For the infectious disease community moving forward, the takeaway is clear: while in-person conferences are more vital than ever for maintaining scientific integrity and combating misinformation, addressing participation barriers is equally urgent. Expanding accessibility could strengthen the field’s collective capacity to advance research and communicate evidence-based findings globally.
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