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INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PHARMACOLOGY
STATUTES
Approved by the General Assembly of the Council
San Francisco, USA July 10th, 2002
I. NAME AND ADDRESS
The name of this organization shall be the International Union of Pharmacology. The official abbreviation of this name shall be IUPHAR. IUPHAR represents all aspects of pharmacology in its broadest sense from theoretical to clinical pharmacology worldwide. IUPHAR is a Scientific Union Member of the International Council for Science (ICSU). IUPHAR is a non-profit Society according to Article 60 of Swiss Civil Law in Basle, Switzerland.
The address of the Secretary-General of IUPHAR shall constitute the official location of IUPHAR.
II. AIMS AND FUNCTIONS OF IUPHAR
1. The object of the International Union of Pharmacology is to foster international cooperation in pharmacology by:
a- promoting cooperation between societies representing pharmacology and related disciplines throughout the world;
b- sponsoring international and regional congresses and meetings and helping in their organization by establishing ad class="body"visory committees;
c- helping in all ways the development of pharmacology throughout the world, particularly in emerging countries;
d- encouraging international cooperation and free exchange of scientists and of ideas in research in accordance with ICSU Statute 5 concerning non-discrimination with regard to race, religion, political philosophy, ethnic origin, citizenship, language or gender;
e- acting as a body through which pharmacologists can participate with scientists from other disciplines in international activities either directly or under the aegis of international scientific bodies such as ICSU, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO);
f- promoting programmes of public awareness on pharmacological issues.
2. For these purposes, IUPHAR shall have the power to:
a- establish and dissolve committees or working groups for special subjects or objectives
b- nominate representatives for special purposes;
c- organize and sponsor congresses, conferences, symposia, meetings and workshops;
d- promote and sponsor publications in pharmacology and related disciplines;
e- enter into relations with other scientific organizations and, in general, develop any activity which seems helpful to the promotion of its declared objectives.
III. MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership shall consist of Full Members, Associate Members and Corporate Members. Full Members of IUPHAR shall consist primarily of national and regional societies in pharmacology and related disciplines. A national or regional society must be acknowledged as the main pharmacological organization of the country or region represented, except that there may be more than one member from a country or a region if they represent areas distinctly separated geographically and with independent budgets for scientific purposes.
Associate Members shall consist of scientific societies, charities and other non-profit organizations interested in the advancement of pharmacology, whose application is supported by the appropriate national or regional IUPHAR member or by multinational regional associations. Their yearly contribution is determined by the Executive Committee.
Corporate Members shall consist of incorporated businesses whose activities are related to pharmacology and which wish to support the scientific activities of IUPHAR. The Executive Committee shall determine the minimum annual donation for Corporate Members.
2. The minimum number of individuals which may constitute a Full Member shall be twenty pharmacological scientists.
3. When a national society is formed by a country that formerly participated in a regional organization, and the national society is admitted as a Full Member, its individual scientists shall no longer be considered as participants in the regional organizations for the purpose of determining the size of the latter.
4. Applications for membership are to be sent to the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General shall submit such applications to the Membership Committee to study, investigate and report thereon to the Executive Committee for its consideration and approval.
5. Membership withdrawal for Full Members becomes effective when:
a- A Member decides to disaffiliate and sends a declaration that this decision is in accordance with its statutes;
b- A Member can no longer be regarded as the main pharmacological society of a country or a region;
c- The annual dues have not been paid for more than three years, unless, upon petition and explanation from the Member, the Officers of IUPHAR determine that financial exigency makes payment impossible;
d- The decision regarding withdrawal under the provisions of subsection 8b of this Statute shall be made by the same procedures as are applied to admission to membership under Statutes III.4.
IV. BENEFACTORS
1. Benefactors shall consist of individuals who wish to support the scientific activities of IUPHAR. Their financial contribution, above the minimum determined by the Executive Committee, is voluntary.
V. STRUCTURE
1. The structure of IUPHAR shall accommodate the dynamic and diverse nature of pharmacology through an organization permitting increasing levels of size, maturity and independence. Any person who is a member of a society or other organization that is in formal association with IUPHAR may participate in any or all of the entities in IUPHAR. Those entities shall be Sections and Divisions.
2. A Section may be established by the Council in response to a request for the establishment of a Section, following a recommendation from the Executive Committee on the advice of the Membership Committee. Normally, this would occur when an area of pharmacology has developed to the point at which a substantial number of pharmacologists are active in the area and for whom the progress in the area would be aided by a formal structure. To initiate a Section, the Executive Committee shall appoint officers who shall prepare a formal proposal for presentation to the Council for approval. The proposal shall include rules of procedure for electing officers and include an outline of the aims, functions and membership of the Section. A duly established Section is entitled to two voting Delegates to the General Assembly of the Council. The activity of the Section will be reviewed periodically by the Executive Committee. Based upon this review, the Executive Committee will recommend to the Council whether this section should be continued or dissolved. The Sections shall have a Section Executive Committee. It shall consist of the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary, the Treasurer and four or more additional members. It shall be elected for a period of four years at the business meeting of the respective Section during the World Congresses. The Chair represents the Section, conducts its business and reports yearly to the Executive Committee of IUPHAR. The Secretary supports the Chair in this task by proper execution of the affairs of the Section. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the finances of the Section and will prepare an annual financial report to the Treasurer of IUPHAR.
3. A Division may be established by the Council on petition by a Section to change its status to a Division. This may be done when a Section has been in existence for a minimum of four years and has demonstrated a capacity for substantial independent activity and international participation. The Council shall be advised by the Executive Committee of IUPHAR. The petition shall include the rules of procedure and governance of the Division including the procedure for the election of officers and include an outline of the aims, functions and membership of the Division. A duly established Division is entitled to four voting Delegates to the General Assembly of the Council.
The activity of the Division will be reviewed periodically by the Executive Committee of IUPHAR. Based upon this review, the Executive Committee will recommend to the Council whether the Division should be continued, dissolved or have its statutes changed. Between World Congresses the business of a Division shall be conducted by a Division Executive Committee consisting of the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Past Chair and eight Councilors. The Division Executive Committee represents the Division, conducts the business and prepares a yearly report for the Executive Committee of IUPHAR together with the Secretary. The Treasurer is responsible for the finances and prepares an annual financial report to the Treasurer of IUPHAR.
VI. COUNCIL
1. The effective body of IUPHAR is the Council. The Council shall consist of Delegates appointed by each Member, Division and Section, together with the Executive Committee.
2. Before each General Assembly of the Council, each Member, Division and Section shall appoint its Delegate(s) to the Council. The names of the Delegates shall be forwarded to the Secretary-General by the responsible officers of the Members, Division and Sections, not less than three months before the next General Assembly. Only Delegates so designated shall have voting rights on the Council, except that by official written notice to the Secretary-General, a Member, Division or Section may appoint an alternate delegate to serve in the case when a regular delegate cannot be present at a particular meeting. Half of the Delegates shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of official business, but in the absence of a quorum any number shall be sufficient to adjourn to a fixed date.
3. The Council shall hold a General Assembly at each World Congress of Pharmacology. For special reasons the President may with the consent of the Executive Committee summon an extraordinary meeting of the Council. The President is obliged to do so at the written request of at least one-third of the Delegates.
4. The number of Delegates to the Council shall be related to the number of pharmacological scientists represented by each Member. There shall be one Delegate for every 300 pharmacological scientists or fraction thereof. The total number of Delegates shall not exceed ten for any Member. There shall be one Delegate appointed by each Associate and Corporate Member, two Delegates appointed by each Section and four Delegates appointed by each Division. Officers of Members, Sections, Divisions attend as Official Guests but are not entitled to vote, except if appointed as Delegates.
5. A Full Member shall pay proportional annual dues according to the number individuals constituting its Membership. The dues are determined by number, and there is no upper limit. The Council will determine at each General Assembly the value of the dues and the currencies in which it is to be expressed for the next four years. Data from the World Bank are used for reference. The Council shall delegate to the Executive Committee the authority to vary the dues unit by an amount necessary to maintain its value in the interval between meetings of the General Assembly. The Executive Committee shall recommend appropriate annual subscriptions for Associate Members.
6. The financial year shall be the calendar year. Annual dues shall be paid from the 1 January of the calendar year following the election of a member.
7. The Council shall elect at its General Assembly two Auditors, whose duty it shall to be to study the accounts of the Treasurer and report their findings thereon to the Executive Committee and the General Assembly. The election shall be from a slate of nominees presented by the Executive Committee. Nominations may also be initiated from the floor.
VII. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. The Council shall elect by closed majority vote its General Assembly an Executive Committee consisting of: a President, First and Second Vice- residents, a Secretary-General, a Treasurer and five Councilors. The immediate Past President of IUPHAR and the Chair of each Division shall be members ex officio of the Executive Committee. Election shall be from a slate of nominees presented by the Nominating Committee. Suggestions for nominations may be sent to the Secretary- General, to be forwarded to the Nominating Committee not later than one year before the date of election. Nominations may also be initiated from the floor at the General Assembly.
2. The members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a period of four years and may be re elected to the Executive Committee for a further four-year period. After completion of two consecutive four-year terms, if not elected to the office of President, members of the Executive Committee are not eligible for further service on the Executive Committee until after an interval of at least four years.
3. The Executive Committee shall appoint from among its members the representatives of IUPHAR to ICSU and WHO, and may also appoint representatives to other organizations with specified liaison responsibilities.
4. The powers and responsibilities of the Officers (President, Secretary-General and Treasurer) shall include, but not be limited to the following:
a- The President shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee and the Council and, with the Secretary-General, prepare their agenda; be a member ex officio of the Division, Sections and (except Nominating and Membership) committees; have authority to sign and execute contracts, agreements, and other legal documents in the name of IUPHAR under such circumstances as shall be indicated by the Executive Committee or the Council; represent IUPHAR in all proper ways ; and, calling on other members of the Executive Committee as appropriate manage the affairs of IUPHAR between meetings of the Executive Committee.
b- It shall be the responsibility of the First or Second Vice-President, in that sequence, to preside at meetings of the Executive Committee or of the Council in the absence of the President, and to undertake any other duties of the office which the President is unable to discharge.
c- The Secretary-General shall keep IUPHAR’s records; maintain relationships with organizations adhering to IUPHAR; and with the President prepare the agenda of the meetings of the Executive Committee and of the Council. The Secretary-General shall submit a report of the activities of IUPHAR to the Council at least three months in advance of its General Assembly.
d- The Treasurer shall be in charge of the finances of IUPHAR and shall prepare annual budgets and accounts for the Executive Committee and an annual financial report to be circulated to all Members after approval of the Auditors.
VIII. OTHER COMMITTEES
1. To encourage and help in the organization of each World Congress of Pharmacology, the Executive Committee of IUPHAR shall appoint an International Advisory Board, the President of IUPHAR being Chair ex officio. Membership of the International Advisory Board shall include the President of the Congress Organizing Committee and others with relevant experience noting the need to achieve equitable geographical distribution and representation of the main fields of pharmacology. The International Advisory Board shall collaborate with the Congress Organizing Committee in determining the general form of the Congress, the number and topics of the symposia, the Congress lecturers and other important scientific matters.
2. For all meetings held under the auspices of IUPHAR, the Executive Committee shall appoint the appropriate Advisory Committee.
3. For each World Congress of Pharmacology, there shall be constituted a Finance Committee comprising the Treasurer (who shall be Chair) and the President of IUPHAR, the Congress President and one other member of the Congress Organizing Committee. The Finance Committee shall, in advance of the Congress, negotiate financial circumstances and conditions relating to the making and repayment of loans and the distribution of any surplus or loss arising on the Congress taking due note of the risks and benefits shared by IUPHAR and the Congress Organizers and to resolve any other financial matters between IUPHAR and the Congress Organizers.
4. The Council shall elect by closed majority vote by delegates at its General Assembly a Nominating Committee of at least five individuals no more than one of whom may come from a given Member. The Chair and the Vice-Chair shall be chosen from among the past members of the Executive Committee. The election shall be from a slate of nominees presented by the Executive Committee. The Committee shall, as specified in Statute VI section 1, develop a slate of nominees for the election of the Executive Committee at the next General Assembly of the Council. Nominations may also be initiated from the floor notwithstanding that the proposed slate of nominees shall have been distributed to delegates and officers of member societies by the Secretary General not less than three months before the General Assembly of the Council.
5. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Membership Committee and name its Chair. The Membership Committee shall consist of three to five individuals no more than one of whom may come from a given Member, Division or Section. The Membership Committee shall study, investigate and report to the Executive Committee on applications for membership of IUPHAR in its various categories, proposals for the establishment of Sections or Divisions, or proposed actions for de-affiliation and withdrawal from IUPHAR.
6. The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint any other Committee deemed necessary.
IX. AMENDMENT OF THE STATUTES
1. Amendment of the Statutes shall be made by the Council.
2. Amendments may only be considered at a General Assembly of the Council held in conjunction with a World Congress of Pharmacology.
3. Proposed amendments to the Statutes must be sent to the Secretary-General not less than six months before the General Assembly at which they are to be considered and must be endorsed in writing by at least three Delegates representing three different members or by a majority of the Executive Committee as shown in the minutes of its meeting held in the year preceding the General Assembly. The Secretary-General shall transmit proposed amendments to all Delegates of the Council not less than two months before the General Assembly at which they are to be considered. A three-fifths vote of the Council shall be required for the adoption of any amendment.
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