The RTI Forum is an expert, international and multi-disciplinary meeting in which clinical medicine and microbiology, pharmacology, the pharmaceutical industry and other relevant disciplines combine to evaluate the latest developments in the field.

After 4 successful meetings from 2000 - 2007, the last in Sitges, Barcelona, Spain, each attended by 400-500 delegates and involving an international faculty and audience, we now announce a 5th Forum, scheduled for February 5-7, 2009.

The RTI Forum now has a considerable academic standing, reflected by past endorsement from many leading Societies, including the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, The Italian Society of Chemotherapy, the Paul Ehrlich Society of Chemotherapy and the French and Spanish Societies.

Scientific and financial support has been provided by many pharmaceutical companies, including Astellas, AstraZeneca,Aventis , Bayer, BMS, Chiron, Daiichi-Sankyo, Dompé, GlaxoSmithKline, King Pharmaceuticals, Kyorin, Merck, Pfizer, Recordati, Replidyne,Toyama and Wyeth.

After a brief interlude in the Industry anti-infective sector, closely linked research, initiated by both Industry and Academia, is rapidly expanding into an exciting new phase. Therefore, it is important to discuss the optimal use of novel diagnostic and therapeutic measures in RTI, their integration into standard therapy and the directions for research in the coming years. Certainly, respiratory pathogens have not stood still and we face newly modified bacteria and viruses, altered diseases and syndromes - posing diagnostic difficulties, continuing resistance issues and a dynamic and challenging regulatory environment.

The RTI Forum offers a unique opportunity to discuss these issues with experts in Respiratory Infection in an intimate and informal atmosphere.

We hope to see old friends and new colleagues at the next Forum and to welcome your suggestions for and contributions to debate.

Plan to join us in Sitges in 2009,