Countdown to ACR Convergence 2025

7 minute read


Rheumatology’s biggest annual meeting returns, uniting clinicians, researchers and patients to explore breakthroughs from AI to traditional medicine.


Australian rheumatologists are preparing to join their colleagues from around the world at ACR Convergence 2025, the American College of Rheumatology’s flagship meeting, taking place from 24–29 October in Chicago.

As the largest global gathering in the field, the meeting offers an opportunity to hear the latest in clinical science, engage with international leaders and connect with peers across disciplines.

This year’s program opens with the fifth annual Global Rheumatology Summit on 24 October, an all-day online event designed to highlight international perspectives on care and research.

Dr Eric Matteson, chair of the ACR Global Engagement Committee, and Emeritus John F. Finn Professor of Medicine and Emeritus Chair, Division of Rheumatology at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, said the summit aimed to advance “rheumatological education and training by actively sharing practices from across the world and learning from one another”.

Dr Matteson said his involvement with the Global Summit and his collaboration with colleagues from across the globe was one of the most gratifying experiences of his career.

“It is inspiring to see the passion that young professionals have for rheumatology and how senior members from across the globe volunteer their time because they believe in this mission of sharing resources and knowledge by learning from each other across the globe,” he said.

The keynote will be delivered by Sabine Grimm, PhD, MSc, from Maastricht University Medical Centre, who will address health economics and cost-effectiveness models and how these can inform policymaking in different healthcare settings.

The day will feature sessions on patient partnerships in care, comparative guideline development, multisystem inflammatory disease with a focus on Still’s disease and the role of traditional and complementary medicines, including the therapeutic properties of thunder god vine and other plant-based treatments.

The first full session, “Partners in Care: Empowering Patients and the Public in Rheumatology”, will include speakers from the Netherlands, New Zealand and the US, who will share experiences with patient-centred care models, patient engagement strategies, and patient participation in shaping public policy.

Dr Matteson said exploring similarities and differences across health systems allowed clinicians to step back and challenge their own assumptions while drawing on universal lessons in advocacy, collaboration and clinical innovation.

Another session highlight, “Traditional Medicine Management of Rheumatic Diseases”, was included in the program following recommendations and requests of several international ACR members.

Dr Matteson said the presentations in this session were intriguing science-based overviews of the clinical and biological effects of several natural medications, such as thunder god vine, which is native to East Asia, and plants used by indigenous communities of Latin America or in traditional holistic Ayurvedic practice.

The main event – ACR Convergence 2025 – begins in Chicago on 25 October and will include a broad spectrum of science and practice, ranging from novel cellular therapies such as CAR-T to the implications of GLP-1 agonists in rheumatology, alongside sessions addressing immune-related adverse events and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in both research and practice.

ACR President Dr Carol A. Langford said the meeting was essential for bringing the global community together, highlighting the importance of shared discovery and collaboration to improve patient care.

“Now more than ever, sharing and supporting the importance of research and scientific discovery toward advances that benefit our patients is essential,” she said.

“ACR Convergence has something to offer anyone involved in rheumatology, from trainees to emeritus professors, practicing clinicians to scientists in the lab, rheumatology professionals, and students considering a future in our exciting field,” Dr Langford said.

Dr Langford is director of the Centre for Vasculitis Care and Research within the Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases at the Cleveland Clinic, where she is also a Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the Harold C. Schott endowed chair in Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases.

She said the ACR’s Annual Meeting Planning Committee had put together a “fantastic program”, including core sessions on common and rare rheumatic diseases, clinical and basic science, the business of rheumatology, and sessions for paediatric rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals.

“There are also sessions on topics of recent interest to the rheumatology community, including CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T-cell) and other cellular therapies, artificial intelligence (AI), immune-related adverse events, and the impact of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists in rheumatology,” she said.

Conference delegates will also see the unveiling of new 2025 ACR Guidelines for the treatment of extrarenal systemic lupus erythematosus and hear from an impressive line-up of invited speakers.

Beyond the headline plenaries and debates, the program offers an array of opportunities for interactive learning and professional development. The popular Meet the Professor sessions, reintroduced last year, will run across multiple subspecialties in small group formats, giving clinicians face-to-face time with leading experts on topics from antiphospholipid syndrome to vasculitis mimics.

Poster sessions and poster tours will provide direct engagement with researchers, including trainees and early-career investigators, while networking lounges and informal gatherings will create space for building collaborations.

The Association of Rheumatology Professionals, a multidisciplinary division of the ACR, will mark its 60th anniversary at the meeting with dedicated programming and celebratory events, reflecting the vital role of allied health in rheumatology care.

For Australian clinicians, the program speaks directly to national challenges. Rising prevalence of musculoskeletal and rheumatic conditions, an ageing population and persistent workforce shortages across metropolitan and rural areas underscore the importance of models that improve efficiency and expand access to care.

The summit’s focus on cost-effectiveness and resource-sensitive policy is particularly relevant to Australia’s mixed public-private system, while the exploration of complementary and culturally embedded care models resonates with the ongoing effort to integrate holistic and Indigenous health approaches.

With new therapies emerging and digital tools such as AI moving into clinical practice, ACR Convergence provides an essential forum to anticipate what these innovations will mean for Australian patients and health services.

“ACR Convergence is exactly as its name states – it is the place where rheumatology gathers together, not only for knowledge, but also to keep our community connected,” Dr Langford said.

She listed several other high-interest sessions in the program.

“I always look forward to the Opening Session [25 October], when the ACR presents its Awards of Distinction with the opportunity to celebrate those who have contributed to our field,” she said.

“This year’s invited speaker is Dr Tait Shanafelt, Chief Wellness Officer at Stanford University and a thought leader in health professional well-being, burnout, and its impact on patient quality of care. This is an important topic in medicine and rheumatology.

The year-in-review and plenary sessions remained “must-attends” in Dr Langford’s book, she said, along with this year’s memorial lectures which “include a great slate of speakers”.

“Another important session to put on your schedule will be the presentation of the 2025 ACR Guidelines for the Treatment of Extrarenal Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,” she said.

“As a vasculitis-focused rheumatologist, I am looking forward to Great Debate: Giant Cell Arteritis: Ultrasound vs. Biopsy [28 October 28]. I am also excited about The Great AI Debate: Unleashing Chaos or Unlocking Potential? [27 October].

“As a physician who sees the potential of AI but who also advocates strongly for the importance of the caregiver-patient relationship, I am interested to hear different perspectives about the future of AI in rheumatology.”

For more information about ACR Convergence 2025 see here.

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