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Statutes and By laws

The by-laws are downloadable here.

Copy of the confirmation from the court in Strasbourg that registration of ISOP has transferred to Switzerland.

 

 

TITLE I: CONSTITUTION AND AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 1: The Society

1.1 The International Society of Pharmacovigilance (ISoP) is an international non-profit scientific
organisation

1.2 The registered address of ISoP shall be in Geneva, Switzerland - (as amended with effect from 27th April 2009)

1.3 ISoP will be registered in the Trade Register of Geneva. It is governed by articles 60 to 79 of the
Swiss civil code.

1.4 The Constitution of ISoP consists of the Statutes and the Society by-laws

1.5 The Executive Committee shall decide upon the administrative address and registered address of ISoP (as amended with effect from 27th April 2009).

1.6 The working language of the Society shall be English. Other languages may be used as described
in the by-laws.

Article 2: Objectives

ISoP pursues exclusively charitable purposes and public interest objectives. ISoP aims to foster
Pharmacovigilance both scientifically and educationally, and enhance all aspects of the safe and
proper use of medicines, in all countries. These objectives will be met by:

2.1 Encouraging and extending research in the field of Pharmacovigilance.

2.2 Promoting a regular exchange of information on Pharmacovigilance by means of meetings,
symposia, workshops, and bulletins, and specifically organising ISoP congresses, including an Annual
Meeting.

2.3 Encouraging Pharmacovigilance education at all levels.

2.4 Cooperating with other organizations and societies concerned with Pharmacovigilance.

2.5 Publishing scientific and other relevant aspects of Pharmacovigilance.

2.6 Engaging in other activities which are pertinent to Pharmacovigilance.

2.7 Seeking funds, and awarding grants, fellowships, subventions and other contracts to promote
Pharmacovigilance.

TITLE II: COMPOSITION

Article 3: Membership

ISoP recognizes different categories of members:

3.1 Active members: all persons interested in Pharmacovigilance shall be eligible for active
membership.

3.2 Honorary members: any person who has rendered distinguished services in the pursuit of the
objectives of ISoP as defined in Article 2 may be elected Honorary member by the General
Assembly after his or her name has been put forward by the Executive Committee.

3.3 Benefactor members: any individual or corporate entity can become a benefactor of ISoP, for
exceptional contribution to the cause of ISoP. They will be recognised by the General Assembly (see
Article 10) after their name has been accepted by the Executive Committee.

3.4 Affiliate members: affiliate members are other scientific societies that share common goals with
ISoP. Proposals for affiliate membership status are accepted by the Executive Committee and
recognized by the General Assembly.

3.5 Past President: upon the election of a new president of ISoP, the former President becomes Past
President.

3.6 The rights and obligations of member categories are described in the by-laws.

Article 4: Membership fee

Members pay an annual membership fee, the amount of which will be decided by the Executive
Committee.

Article 5: Admission to membership

5.1 Admission to membership is administered by the Executive Committee.

5.2 Membership information will be recorded. Each ISoP member will be notified about the policy
regarding release of membership information. Provision will be made for members to request to have
any or all personal identification removed from lists or from release. In general, ISoP will follow
national data protection recommendations.

Article 6: Loss of membership

Membership of ISoP can be lost:

6.1 by resignation: members may resign at any time in writing, by registered mail, to the Secretary
General. The annual membership fee remains due for the calendar year of the resignation.

6.2 by expulsion: decided by the General Assembly, for acts causing moral and/or financial prejudice
to ISoP. Before expulsion the person concerned may be invited to explain him or herself.

6.3 by exclusion: for non-payment of fees.

6.4 All decisions on loss of membership are confirmed by the Executive Committee, whose decisions
are final.

TITLE III: ADMINISTRATION

Article 7: Structure

7.1 ISoP has a threefold structure:

  • the totality of all members
  • the Executive Committee.
  • the Officers.

7.2 ISoP is governed by an Executive Committee, which shall comprise 11members.

7.3 All voting members can be candidates for election to the Executive Committee.

7.4 A term of office is three years renewable once consecutively.

7.5 The Executive Committee shall be renewed every three years.

7.6 The renewal possibilities and dates of beginning and end of office will be described in the by-laws.

7.7 Candidates for the Executive Committee will be proposed by a Nominations committee from
among eligible members.

7.8 Members of the Executive Committee may be elected by mail ballot. In the event that all the
positions available are not filled in a first ballot, a second call for candidates, and ballot may be
organized by the Nominations Committee.

7.9 The Nominations Committee shall comprise three members. They are ISoP members, proposed by
the Executive Committee, and elected by the General Assembly. Their term of office is three years and
re-election is possible. During the years of its appointment the Nominations Committee organises the
election of the new members of the Executive Committee. Members of the Nominations Committee
cannot be members of the Executive Committee, nor can they be candidates for the Executive
Committee.

7.10 The mail ballot procedures are described in the by-laws.

7.11 Nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected to the vacant posts. In
the event of a tie, the person with the longest standing membership will be declared elected.

Article 8: Elections for Officers and terms of office

8.1 The Executive Committee elects Officers of the Society by secret ballot among its members in the
following order:

  • the President,
  • the Vice-President,
  • the Secretary General,
  • the Treasurer,
  • the Vice-Secretary/Vice Treasurer;

8.2 Officers are elected for three years, in the order above, renewable once consecutively.. The
renewal possibilities and dates of the beginning and the end of the term of office of Officers are
described in the by-laws.

8.3.The out-going President becomes 'Past President' ex-officio until the next President is elected.

Article 9: Executive Committee

9.1 The Executive Committee meets at least once a year, and each time it is convened by the
President, or upon request of at least one third of its members. Minutes of the meetings are kept.
They are signed by the President and the General Secretary, and are written without omission or
correction in a specific register.

9.2 Members of the Executive Committee cannot receive any stipend in respect of these functions.

9.3 The roles and functions of Executive Committee members, and of the Officers of ISoP are
described in the by-laws.

9.4 The Executive Committee shall represent ISoP in its dealings with third parties. The Executive
Committee shall be collectively responsible for the conduct of the affairs of ISoP. The Executive
Committee is the ISoP's legal and civil representative. The powers of each of the Executive
Committee's members can be delegated to another member of the Executive Committee, upon
approval of the Executive Committee.

9.5 Resolutions shall be passed by the Executive Committee at its meetings or by mail on the basis of
a majority vote. The President shall hold the deciding vote in case of a tie.

9.6 The President and Executive Committee can be assisted as needed by Counsellors, which may sit
at the Committee Meetings but have no voting right at the Committee Meetings.

Article 10: General Assembly

10.1 The General Assembly convenes the Active members of ISoP who have paid their fees, as well as
the Honorary and Benefactor members. Any member of ISoP shall be entitled to be present and to
speak at the General Assembly. Voting power, however, rests only with the Active paid-up members
and Honorary members. No proxy voting is permitted.

10.2 The General Assembly shall be convened every year, and upon request of the Executive
Committee.

Members of ISoP will be individually informed in writing of the date and venue of the General
Assembly, at least two months in advance.

10.3 A special General Assembly must be convened by the President if at least a third of the members
wish it.

10.4 Minutes of the meetings are circulated or made available. They are signed by the President and
the Secretary General, and are written without omission or correction in a specific register.

10.5 The agenda of the General Assembly is determined by the Executive Committee.

10.6 The General Assembly is competent to:

  • Approve the minutes of the previous General Assembly,
  • Discuss the annual report and financial accounts,
  • Approve the statement of the accounts of the previous year, and the budget for the following
    year,
  • Acknowledge the annual fee,
  • Elect members of the Nominations Committee on the proposal of the Executive Committee,
  • Elect members of the Executive Committee, if necessary,
  • Elect a financial controlling committee made up of three ISoP members not part of the
    Executive Committee,
  • Elect honorary and acknowledge benefactor members,
  • Acknowledge affiliate members,
  • Change the statutes,
  • Acknowledge the by-laws,
  • Raise any questions and prepare any recommendations that members of ISoP wish to convey to
    the General Assembly or Executive Committee.

10.7 Except when specified otherwise, votes of the General Assembly are with simple majority

10.8 Unless otherwise specified in these statutes, resolutions at General Assembly shall be passed on
the basis of a simple majority of the votes cast. In the event of a tie, the President shall cast the
deciding vote.

Article 11: Financial Assets

11.1 Financial assets of ISoP consist of:

  • Annual membership fees,
  • Revenue from assets,
  • Income from publications, congresses, consultancies or other activities pertaining to the
    objectives defined in Article 2,
  • Subventions from states, regions, departments, cities, townships or any other public entity,
  • Any other contributions, donations, private or public sources of funding, not in conflict with
    the objectives of ISoP as defined in Article 2, nor with the law of the country of registration.

11.2 The financial assets are used in accordance with the objectives and the budgets approved by the
Executive Committee.

Article 12: Finances

A descriptive record of all expenditure and income is kept, under the supervision of the Treasurer. The
inspectors of accounts (auditor) shall examine the accounts and carry out financial controls. Details of
signatories and financial procedures are set out in the by-laws.

Article 13: Signature

ISoP is validly engaged by the joint signature of the President and another member of the Executive
Committee.

Article 14: Responsibility

14.1 All of ISoP's financial obligations are limited to ISoP's assets as described under article 11.

14.1 The personal financial liability of ISoP's members is exclusively limited to the amount of their
annual membership fees.

TITLE IV: CHANGES IN STATUTES AND DISSOLUTION

Article 15: Change of statutes

15.1 Statutes can be changed only on the proposition of the Executive Committee, or as a result of a
petition of at least one quarter of the members having paid their fees.

15.2 At least half plus one of the voting members must be present at the General Assembly convened
to vote on these changes of statutes. In the event this quorum is not reached, another General
Assembly is convened, at the earliest one month later. This assembly is valid whatever the number of
members present. Proxies are not accepted.

15.3 Any modifications of the statutes require the approval of the majority of the votes cast.

Article 16: Dissolution

16.1 The General Assembly, which will have to give an opinion on the dissolution, must be convened
for this purpose, with at least two months written notice. Two thirds of the active members must be
present for this assembly to be valid. If this number is not reached, another General Assembly is
convened, not earlier than one month later, which is then valid whatever the number of members
present.

16.2 The dissolution of ISoP requires the approval of two thirds of the votes cast.

Article 17: Liquidation of assets

In the event of dissolution, the General Assembly shall designate one or more commissioners charged with the liquidation of the ISoP's assets. The net worth and assets of ISoP available shall be entirely attributed to an institution of public interest with similar objectives and entitled to a tax exemption. The net worth and assets of ISoP shall, in no case, be returned to the physical founding members or to any other member of ISoP, neither be used partially, entirely or in any other way for their own profit or for any other purpose.

Article 18: Executive Committee's duties

The Executive Committee must inform the Trade Register of Geneva within one month of any of the
following:

  • Changes in the Executive Committee,
  • Changes in the statutes (which should also be announced to the tax administration),
  • Change in the administrative residence of the Society,
  • Dissolution.

Article 19: By-laws

19.1 by-laws describe the application of the present statutes and complete them as necessary.

19.2 by-laws and any change of such must be approved by the Executive Committee and
acknowledged by the General Assembly.

Article 20: Entry into force

These statutes were adopted at the time of the General Assembly on December 20th, 2006 and came
into effect the very same day.

Geneva, December 20th, 2006
Signature of the representatives (President and secretary)