On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I would like to invite you to The 26th Annual Congress of Clinical Rheumatology to be held April 8-11, 2010 in Destin, Florida. We are delighted this year to have an exciting, comprehensive program presenting current, emerging and even provocative issues with cutting edge advancements pertinent to the clinical rheumatologist. The recent explosion in knowledge in basic research has been responsible for the emergence of a plethora of target specific interventions and a corresponding growth in clinical developments. This year's program strives to present relevant innovative research with recent treatment options to provide attendees an excellent opportunity to become familiar with current developments in the field of rheumatology while meeting with colleagues or collaborate with experts in the field.

The faculty for the 26th CCR continues to be of international repute and is composed of many of the foremost researchers and clinicians in the world. We are very pleased to have Dr. Graham Hughes from London UK, Dr. Iain MacInnes from Glasgow, Scotland and Dr. Ego Seeman from Melbourne Australia join our international faculty. In addition, we have many outstanding faculty members from the United States. As many of you have probably noticed, our faculty is not selected because of their association with any particular sponsor but as a result of their individual contribution to the field of rheumatology. Topics this year include new therapeutic targets in RA; SLE; B cell depletion in SLE; vasculitis; vascular co-morbidity in rheumatic diseases; antiphospholipid syndrome; malignancy and RA treatment; treatment of scleroderma; interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis; autoimmune thyroid disease; chronic pain mechanisms and treatment and osteoporosis.

Although the Congress of Clinical Rheumatology will again offer 22.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM for the major program, as CCR continues to grow, we will continue to offer attendees opportunities to expand their educational experience and obtain further CME. New this year, a Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Workshop will be held on Wednesday, April 7th, to provide individual hands on experience to master the technique and interpretation of ultrasound in rheumatologic patients. In addition, there will also be a National Young Rheumatology Investigator Forum on Wednesday with a poster session in the afternoon and an awards banquet in the evening.

Additional meetings providing an opportunity for 5.15 extra AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM will be offered Thursday and Friday afternoons, including sessions on "Planning for Quality Healthcare Symposium" and "Disease Activity Measurement Workshop". CCR will offer sessions on RAC, PQRI, and EHR. A Saturday night banquet will incorporate a session on malpractice.

We hope that you will have the opportunity to join us this year and enjoy the beach as well as all of the beautiful surroundings of Destin while you are here and see just why Destin has been voted #5 as a Spring getaway in the Western Hemisphere.