Sepsis Canada recently partnered in a joint event between the Critical Care Canada Forum 2024 (CCCF) and the 3rd Annual Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Symposium, held from November 17 to 20 at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto. This marked the first time these two conferences were brought together under one roof, with Sepsis Canada playing a key role in facilitating this collaboration.

Pre-Conference Highlights:

On November 17, Sepsis Canada hosted the International Sepsis Forum Pre-Conference, a full day dedicated to sepsis-related topics. Discussions covered the evolving definitions of sepsis, advances in sepsis diagnostics, a keynote address on the future of sepsis, and a presentation on the intersection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and sepsis.

Critical Care Canada Forum (CCCF):

The Critical Care Canada Forum officially began on Monday, November 18. This conference featured a wide range of presentations, workshops, and discussions focused on the care of critically ill patients.

Sepsis was a prominent theme throughout the forum. Highlights included:

• A joint keynote by the International Sepsis Forum and CCCF, exploring the future of sepsis therapies.
• Multiple presentations featuring Sepsis Canada’s Scientific Director, Dr. Alison Fox-Robichaud, multiple Sepsis Canada researchers, trainees, and patient council member Shannon McKenney.
• Joint sessions between CCCF and Sepsis Canada on sepsis and infection and the relationship between sepsis, medication, and AMR.

AMR Symposium:

The 3rd Annual AMR Symposium, presented by bioMérieux Canada, began on Tuesday, November 19. Sepsis Canada contributed to the opening agenda with an introduction by our Managing Director, Dr. Saad Salim, and a keynote from Dr. Alison Fox-Robichaud on the critical connection between sepsis and AMR.

The symposium’s opening day featured:

• A presentation by Dr. Kali Barrett and Fatima Sheikh highlighting the significant impact a National Sepsis Action Plan could have on Canada.
• An afternoon session, "Optimizing the Case of Sepsis in AMR," chaired by Dr. Saad Salim. This session included talks by Dr. Patricia Liaw on immunothrombosis in sepsis and Dr. Robert Hancock on rapid diagnostics to prevent antibiotic failure. The session concluded with a discussion on near-patient testing, moderated by Dr. Kali Barrett.

Looking Ahead

Sepsis Canada is proud to have facilitated this collaboration. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with CCCF and bioMérieux Canada to advance sepsis and AMR awareness, education, and research. Furthermore, we look forward to participating in WCICC2025 in Vancouver in September 2025. Hopefully, we’ll see you there!