The Pan American Society for Clinical Virology (PASCV) was founded in 1977 as the Pan American Group for Rapid Viral Diagnosis (PAG−RVD). It was founded to help raise the standards of diagnostic virology in the Americas as the European Group for Rapid Viral Diagnosis had done elsewhere. The name was changed in 1995 to reflect the expanding role of the society in all areas of clinical virology, including diagnostics, manifestations of viral diseases and viral pathogenesis, prevention of and therapy for viral diseases and the improved understanding of all of these. The PASCV sponsors symposia, workshops and annual awards in clinical virology. Currently 2 awards are presented annually. The Clinical Virology Award (sponsored by Bion Enterprises) and the Diagnostic Virology Award (sponsored by Becton Dickinson). The Society also provides several $600 travel grants, including the Mario Escobar Award, to the Annual Clinical Virology Symposium for students, postdoctoral fellows or technologists who submit abstracts to the meeting.
More than 400 members from North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean comprise the society membership. This includes practicing physicians, laboratory directors, research virologists and laboratory technologists and technicians.
The aims of European Society for Clinical Virology are to promote knowledge of viruses, particularly as it relates to the clinical diagnosis and management of viral diseases, their pathogenesis, natural history, treatment and prevention. In addition, the Society promotes viral epidemiological studies and good contacts with relevant organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), other official organizations and other virological groups.
