Executive
Board

131st Meeting Executive Board
Milan (Italy), February 24th-25th, 2017

SUMMARY Minutes
Participants:
EB Members
Maurizio Ferrari(MF)
Howard Morris(HM)
Sergio Bernardini (SB)Tomris Ozben(TO)
Rosa Sierra-Amor (RSA)
Vanessa Steenkamp (VS)
Rolf Hinzmann(RH)

President
President-electSecretary
Treasurer
MemberMemberCorporate Representative (Roche)

Invited guest:
David Kinniburgh

NAFCC President(DK)____________

1

The 131st Meeting of the IFCC Executive Board was held in Milan, at the newly renovated IFCC
office.
Strategic Plan session
EB reviewed the progress with the Strategic Plan also considering the results from the SWOT analysis
discussion.

Area A: Supporting our Membership
Strategic Action

No.
3

4
5

7

8

9

11
13

15

a)

Maintain support materials and web-based tools todemonstrate the benefits of IFCC membership todeveloping countries.
b) Use and evaluate effectiveness of new support
materials.
Extend to all countries the register of expertise ofindividuals in IFCC that may be of value to the Members.
a) Deliver the e-academy as the platform to support
IFCC educational materialsb) Develop and present a series of webinars to meetthe needs of Members.
a) Improve communication with COLABIOCLI andMembers in Latin America.
b) Support at least one major new project in the Region
in the next 3 years term.
a) Improve communication with AFCB and Members in
Arab countries.
b) Support at least one major new project in the Regionin 3 years term.

a) Improve communication with AFCC and withMembers in African countries.
b) Support at least one major new project in the Region
in the next 3 years term.
Devise and introduce a strategy to encourage
participation of countries in the 2017 Council meeting.
Improve the visibility of IFCC by encouraging National
Societies to include a short IFCC news section in theirnational newsletters or websites
Consolidate the mentoring programme as a Special
Project and promote its gradual expansion

Done, will be continued

Done, will be continued
Done, will be continued

Done, RSA is engaged in following this item.
HM: it should be important todevelop thecommunication also in Portuguese in particular
towards some Countries in Africa and in Brazil
The communication with AFCB is still poor.
A letter will be sent by MF to the AFCB to ask for abetter communication in particular about theorganization of the incoming congress in Palestine. No
answer until now. Continuing to solicit goodcommunication
This item will change in improving communication andmembership in Africa and define the MoU with ASLM.

Continue advertising
Done. CPD activity will continue also requesting NSs
to send a mailing list of their members for direct
emails from IFCC.
Done, will be continued

Area B: Broadening Our Horizons
No. Strategic Action
17

18

20
22

Identify, resource, prepare and deliver one new projecteach year in areas of laboratory medicine other thanclinical chemistrya) Develop a plan to increase collaboration between
IFCC and other international clinical organisationsb) Establish at least one new collaboration each yearwith an international clinical organisationc) Invite organisations from outside laboratory medicine
to contribute to the IFCC meetings to promote betterinteraction with healthcare professionals.

Will continue (HM)Agree and deliver a new work programme in the area of
promoting clinical effectiveness of laboratory medicine.
Collaborate with CLMA to agree and promote a
programme of leadership development training.

Done

Difficult task, the EB agreed that an IFCC
representative for each clinical field of interest will be
nominated to address the list made by GB. Each EB
member will suggest two Societies to make a priority.
RH contacted the EADS to contribute a symposium
on clinical chemistry (HbA1c) and management of
Diabetes with the participation of IFCC

EB is waiting for cost and programs (DK)Area C: Improving the Quality of Laboratory Medicine
No. Strategic Action

2

24

25

26

27

a)

In conjunction with others develop a route tolaboratory accreditation for developing countries DQCLMb) Apply the resource material at least once per year
and evaluate its effectivenessEstablish one new high level project with WASPaLM thataims to promote the quality of laboratory medicine
through promoting the value of Laboratory Medicine.

Establish at least one new project with ILAC that aims to
improve the application of quality management andlaboratory accreditation
Strengthen the links and collaboration with the World
Health Organization (WHO)Done, will be continuing
HM and RSA will organize a workshop about QA in
Ecuador in Spanish language.

MF is in touch with the President, in Durban one
session from WASPaLM and viceversa at the next
WASPaLM Congress in Kyoto in November had beenplanned. HM is working with the IFCC-WASPaLM
Joint Working Group on the “Value of Laboratory
Medicine” which will hold a symposium in Kyoto. A
discussion will start between the two International
Organizations to find a synergy in promoting
Laboratory Medicine.
Done

Difficult task! A handout proposing a plan ofcollaboration for 2018 has been sent following
anumber of revisions. The approval should come in
Q1 2017. The Federations involved in the WHO planfor Laboratory Medicine session should be: ISBS,WASPaLM and IFCC. MF will continue to keep incontact with Adriana Velasquez Berumen (WHO).

Area D: Improving the Effectiveness of IFCC
No. Strategic Action
31

Devise and introduce a scheme to recognise thecontribution of individuals who have given outstanding
service to IFCC

Done

1.
Preliminaries
1.0
Welcome and opening remarks from the President:
MF and all the EB appreciated the meeting about SWOT analysis revision. VS was not able tocome.
1.1.130 Minutes of 130th EB Meeting Taipei (Taiwan)
EB approved the Full Minutes and the Summary Minutes from the 130th Meeting.
2.
Full Member Societies
2.4
MF reported on the creation of the new Russian Full Member Society: “Association ofLaboratory Specialists and Organizations «Federation of laboratory medicine» (FLM)” from actual
one: “Russian Scientifically-Practical Society of Specialists in Laboratory Medicine (RSPSSLM)”. EB
revised all documents sent by FLM: EB noted that it is still missing the letter on behalf of the actual
Full Member’s National Representative, declaring the merging with FLM and endorsing FLM as new
IFCC Full Member. MF will call Prof. Lina Khorovskaya, as actual Full Member’s Nat.Rep.
EB noted and approved the merging of Ukrainian Full Member “Ukrainian Society of ClinicalLaboratory Diagnostics (USCLD)” with the Affiliate Member “Association of Clinical Chemistry &Laboratory Medicine of Ukraine (ACCLMU)”, new name: “Association of Clinical Chemistry &Laboratory Medicine of Ukraine (ACCLMU), provided the Statutes of the new Society are received.
EB noted the request of application for Full Membership on behalf of “Kosovo Association of Clinical
Chemistry (KACC)”. Kosovo is a non-UN member state recognized by at least one UN member
state, same as another Full Member: Rep. of China (Taiwan). EB recommend full membership for
KACC and will recommend NSs vote in support of this category of IFCC membership.

3

4.
Affiliate Members
4.4
Annual Dues for Affiliate Members, update on outstanding societies’ dues.
EB decided to review the Affiliate membership dues (RSA, HM and SB).
EB agreed to withdraw membership of “Regional Association for Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, St.
Petersburg”, after 4 years of non payment of dues.
3.
Corporate Members
3.0
RH report
RH clarified to EB some specific items of the MedTech Ethical Code: application of the Code evenfor a Conference outside Europe if European Companies are invited to support it even if throughtheir “local representative blend” (transposition of the Code). On the other hand, there are somedifferences in the Code’s application for “local distributors” depending from decisions of each IVD
Company. It will be discouraged any advertisement in the conference’s programs that can raise a“public perception” of touristic interests. Considering the global impact of the EC, it is important todiffuse the contents worldwide.
15.
Financial Matters15.1 Treasurer’s Report
EB received an update on finances by TO.
Budget 2016 (CHF): total income 580.000 (proposal), 1.006.434 (actual 31/12/2016); total expenses
1.877.341(proposal), 1.442.889 (actual); net loss -1.297.341 (proposal), -436.455 (actual).
Every Operative Unit spent less than the allocated budget.
Proposal for Budget 2017 (CHF): total income 1.053.500 total expenses 1.779.155; net loss
-725.655.
A careful monitoring of expenses in 2017 is needed.
Received dues 2016 (CHF): Full Members 181.314 (97,17%); Affiliate Members 3.565 (91,21%);
CMs 290.092 (89,9%).
IFCC cancelled the portfolio mandate to LGT Bank on December 2016 and transferred the IFCC
securities from LGT Bank to Credit Suisse Bank with a moderate risk profile and safe accounts inthree currencies (EUR, CHF and USD). The return since 31/12/2016 to 21/02/2017 was +0.31%.
8.
Scientific Division (SD)EB confirmed PG proposal for the new members of the SD Executive Committee: Mario Plebani (IT)and Kostas Makris (GR).
•Collaboration with ICHCLRHM reported on negotiations for collaboration with International Consortium for Harmonization ofClinical Laboratory Results (ICHCLR). The recommendation of the Short-Term Group (GB, PG,
Greg Miller, Gary Myers) is to transfer the oversight and operation of ICHCLR from AACC to IFCC.
The Short-Term Group suggested to create a new Task Force for ICHCLR, which reports to the
IFCC Executive Board. This Task Force would function as the IFCC Secretariat for ICHCLR. The
Task Force would also have its own IFCC budget line, which could be used for ICHCLR income andexpenditure. Finally the Short-Term Group recommends that two Memoranda of Understanding will
be required: between AACC and IFCC to document the basis of transfer of Secretariat and between
the ICHCLR Council and IFCC to document the working relationship.
EB approved the proposal, MF will send a letter to the Short Term Group members.
•
Collaboration with European Commission Joint Research Centre
HM updated the EB about the collaboration with JRC (formerly IRMM) on Certified Reference
Materials. He made a presentation about IFCC to JRC officers that was very much appreciated.
There is particular interest regarding continuing the collaboration for the production of Certified
Reference Materials (CRM) and want to expand it to standardization and harmonization for4

population screening programs for cancer. Currently colon cancer and breast cancer biomarkers are
the highest priorities. A SD WG for Fecal Immunological testing (WG-FIT) has recently been
established and JRC officers suggested that they would be able to provide support in kind for its
work.
Another topic being pursued by JRC involves clinical trials in pediatric patients (Arnd Hoeveler,
Head of Unit of Advanced therapies and system medicine, EU Commission) currently involving
collaboration between Pediatricians and the Pharmaceutical Industry. There is interest for involving
the IFCC TF-PLM as a partner.
EB approved this collaboration and HM is responsible for follow-up.
•
EB noted and appreciated the SD Meeting report•
EB approved the New Division with the name: “Emerging Technologies Division” (ETD).
Action Plan: Skype meeting between SB and PG to make the definitive proposal to be presented to
the next EB meeting in Athens. Following approval by the EB nominations for the ETD-EC will becalled.
9.
Education and Management Division (EMD)
EB Discussed evaluation of performance of Cs and WGs members in general (specific case being
members of C-CLM) and agreed that if at the annual evaluation a member is considered not to besatisfactorily performing (with the exception for well motivated reasons) then membership can beterminated in advance of their original term of office by the Division Chair and a new member
appointed.
10.
Communications and Publications Division (CPD)
EB appreciated the activity of e-Academy and approved the support by Siemens.
7.
Committee on Congresses and Conferences (C-CC)
EB noted and approved the revision of documents prepared by C-CC regarding:- “Auspices” of the IFCC designates recognition of a professional event of high scientific and/or
educational merit;- Guidelines for the organization of a satellite meeting to an IFCC-sponsored congress orconference;- Guidelines for preparation of the scientific programme for an IFCC International Congress ofClinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine;- Guidelines for preparation of the scientific programme for an IFCC-EFLM International congressof Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine;- Guidelines for Compliance with Applicable Codes of Ethical Business Practice.
7.2
IFCC WorldLab Congresses
7.2.23 IFCC WorldLab 2017, Durban (ZA)
Durban, October 22nd-25th, 2015
EB received updates from MF: the organization of the Congress is proceeding very well and further
activity regarding its promotion is expected. The ICPLM programme and finances are finalized andaccepted.
EB agreed to allocate 80.000 CHF for scholarships to support the attendance from South SaharianCountries which are member of Africa Federation Clinical Chemistry (AFCC) and IFCC low andlower middle income (reimbursing the expenses for travel and accommodation).The IFCC Office will
make a rough estimate of costs to establish the number of scholarships and the maximum amountavailable for each country and we will ask for free registration for the scholarship winners.
7.2.24 IFCC WorldLab 2020, Seoul (KR)
Seoul, May 24th-28th, 2020
7.3
IFCC Regional Congresses of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine
7.3.1.15 APFCB India, 20195

Confirmed. Jaipur – Rajasthan, 17th-20th November 2019 (tentative dates)
7.3.2.22 EuroMedLab 2017, Athens (GR)Athens, June 11th-17th, 2017
MF: Finalized. Sponsorship is full. 650 registrants to date
7.3.2.24 EuroMedLab 2019, Barcelona (ES)Barcelona, May 19th-23rd, 2019
MF: COC and the Scientific Committee have commenced their work.
7.3.4.23 COLABIOCLI Uruguay, 2017
Punta del Este, 17th-20th September, 2017
RSA: speakers from many countries of LATAM, scientific program is finalized. RH commented that
there might be some problems in the sponsorship by European Companies because the Program
had not been submitted to the CVS of MedTech.
7.3.6.15 AFCB Congress
No update regarding next Congress to be held in Palestine in 2018 have been received
7.3.7.5 AFCC
Next AFCC Congress will be held in conjunction with WorldLab in Durban.
7.4
IFCC Specialised Conferences
7.4.1 Roche Bergmeyer Conference (March 2018, Eibsee, Germany)
Title: “Coagulation”. IFCC is available to collaborate even if this year the Conference will be a Roche
hosted meeting because of the MedTech rules. MF and Joe Passarelli will discuss about thepossible involvement of IFCC in future Roche Bergmeyer Conferences..
7.40 Other Business
WASPaLM Congress
See SP n.25
6.

International and Professional Organisations

6.1 World Health Organisation (WHO)See SP n.27
6.2 Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)
PG suggested as liaison officer James Pierson-Perry, Siemens (SD-EC Corporate Representative)
which was agreed by EB..
6.4
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) - liaison HM
A teleconference of the Steering Committee of the C-NPU Thurdsay 9th March 2017.
6.13

World Association of Societies of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (WASPaLM) –6.23 International Standards Organisation (ISO) - liaison RSA
No specific items
6.50

International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)

5.
Regional Organisations
The call for nominations of Regional Representatives for the EB 2018-2020 will be opened fromMarch 1st to June 30th, to be expected by the IFCC Office.
5.01 Asia-Pacific Federation of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine
EB approved the final draft of the IFCC-APFCB MoU

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5.02 COLABIOCLINo specific items
5.04 European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
No specific items
5.05 Arab Federation of Clinical Biology
No specific items
5.06 African Federation of Clinical Chemistry
No specific items
5.07 North American Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
IFCC will have a booth at the AACC Congress in San Diego.
16.
16.1
•
•

Organizational Matter
IFCC Office
EB noted the new office premises, which are considered to be adequate for the constantly
growing activities
The Procedure Manual will be revised by HM and SB to be completed by December 2017.

16.3 IFCC Nominations Committee
EB noted the following schedule:•
Call for nominations for the Treasurer and Secretary (2018-2020) has been issued andfinalized with the ballot taking place between April 1st to 30th, 2017.
•
Call for nominations for the Corporate Representative (2018-2020), is open until March 31st,
ballot taking place on from June 1st to 30th, 2017.
•
Call for nominations for the Regional Representatives (2018-2020), is open from March 1st toJune 30th, ballot taking place September 1st to 30th, 2017.
16.40 Other business
The IFCC Medal for Outstanding Service
EB agreed to give the medal to persons who performed outstanding service independent of being
alive or not alive.
EB will send the list of the approved candidates to Council for ratification by electronic vote.
13.

Task Forces: updates by the EB member liaisons with TFs

13.01.01 Task Force on Ethics (TF-E)
Call for membership opened
13.01.02 Task Force on Paediatric Laboratory Medicine (TF-PLM)
Finalized the satellite meeting in Durban
13.01.03 Task Force on Pharmacogenomics (TF-PG)
Call for membership opened
13.01.04 Task Force on Chronic Kidney Disease (TF-CKD) – liaison RSA
Call for membership opened
13.01.06 Task Force for Young Scientists (TF-YS) – liaison VS
EB noted and appreciated the YS report.
13.01.07 Task Force on Clinical Applications of Cardiac Biomarkers (TF-CB) – liaison TO
13.01.08 Task Force on POCT (TF-POCT) – liaison RSA

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Call for membership opened
13.01.11 Task Force on Proficiency Testing (TF-PT) – liaison RSA
Call for membership opened
Website opened to register PT providers
13.01.13 Task Force for Geriatric Lab. Medicine (TF -GLM) – liaison SB
No specific comments
13.02 Professional Exchange Programmes• Update on PSEP and PMEP applications
13.03 Roche Travel Scholarships• Update on scholarships allocation
11.

IFCC Awards

EB received an update by HM on WorldLab Durban Awards’ sponsorships and Committee decisionon successful nominees candidates for below confirmed Awards:• IFCC Distinguished Clinical Chemist Award – IFCC
• IFCC Distinguished International Services Award--Henry Wishinsky Award for DistinguishedInternational Services– SIEMENS• IFCC Award for Distinguished Contributions in Education – ABBOTT• IFCC-Abbott Award for Significant Contributions in Molecular Diagnostics – ABBOTT
MOLECULAR• IFCC Distinguished Award for Laboratory Medicine and Patient Care – SEKISUI• IFCC-Robert Shaffer Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Development of Standards
for Use in Laboratory Medicine Co-sponsored by NIST and CLSI – NIST / CLSI
• IFCC Young Investigator Award– IFCC
• IFCC Hytest Distinguished Award for contributions to Cardiovascular Diagnostics - HYTESTAwards Dinner will be held after the Opening Ceremony on Sunday.
Siest Award: A proposal was received on behalf of company “Stabiligen”, France, to introduce a
new award known as “Siest Award” in memory of Gerard Siést. The Award would be bestowed to ayoung investigator or young leader who has made an outstanding contribution in actively advancing
the scientific discipline of Pharmacgenomics and Personalized Medicine and/or its impact on
research, development, standardization, quality management, regulatory evaluation or utilization intherapy.
The EB agreed in principle with adding this Award to the list; HM will clarify the funding associatedwith this Award directly with Dr. Jean-Pascal Siést.
18.
Foundation
EB received an update from TO about Foundation’s activities. Three projects funded to date:• “Laboratory based surveillance for communicable disease in Malawi”• “Lab Surfing: A resource to facilitate global exchange between young scientists”• ‘‘Adopt a Professional: Collaboration to support the training of laboratory medicine
specialists”, in partnership with SIBioC from Italy
The Board is struggling to raise sponsorship. The FEN Board asked the IFCC Executive Board toconsider whether it will support one or both of the following suggestions:1) Encourage all registrants for IFCC congresses to make a small additional donation for the work of
the FEN. This could be included in the on-line registration/payment system – advice required
from MZ Congressi and can also be realized through a box. EB agree.

82) Encourage payment of an additional small sum linked to the annual dues. EB agreed in principle,
but at present it is difficult to realize. EB agree that GB can write a letter to National Societies
soliciting a donation to FEN.
13.0

IFCC Statutes and Rules

General Conference Sep-Dec 2018
EB agreed to collect information though the Office about possible venues and rough costs in
Canada, Mexico and East European Countries to choose the most cost effective venue.
19.0
19.3

Meetings
Executive Board meetings in 2017:- Athens, before the EuroMedLab Congress: June 9th-10th, 2017
- Durban, before the WorldLab Congress: October 20th-21st, 20179