International Council of Ophthalmology

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International Council of Ophthalmology Draft Meeting Minutes, April 20, 2002 Sydney, Australia

Present:

Gottfried O. H. Naumann, MD, President
Mark O. M. Tso, MD, Vice President
Bruce E. Spivey, MD, Secretary General
Balder Gloor, MD, Treasurer
Akira Nakajima, MD, (Honorary President for Life)
Richard Abbott, MD – elected to membership during the meeting
Adenike Abiose, MD
Rubens Belfort, MD
August Deutman, MD
Ian Constable, MD
Jean-Jacque De Laey, MD
Hanna Faal, MD
Peter Hardy Smith, MD
Mohammad Daud Khan, MD
Paul Lichter, MD
Frank J. Martin, MD
Pran N. Nagpal, MD
Bo Philipson, MD
Alfred Sommer, MD – elected to membership during the meeting
Bradley R. Straatsma, MD
Peter Watson, MD

Unable To Attend:

Benjamin Boyd, MD (Honorary Life Member)
Akef El Maghraby, MD
Yves Pouliquen, MD
Alvaro Rodriguez, MD
Abdel Latif Siam, MD
Bjorn Tengroth, MD

Guests and Observers:

Selwa Al-Hazzaa, MD, FRCS
Frank Billson, MD
Rosario Brancato, MD
Francisco Contreras, MD
Gus Colenbrander, MD
William C. Felch
H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr., MD
Christian Luco, MD
David Noonan
Wendy Ovaitt
R. Pararajasegaram, MD
Gullapalli Rao, MD
Serge Resnikoff, MD
S. Selvarajah, MD
Koichi Shimizu, MD
Alfred Sommer, MD
Daniel Ety'ale, MD
Georges Yaya, MD
Zbigniew Zagorski, MD

I. Welcome, Introduction & Meeting Logistics

President Naumann opened the meeting by welcoming the members, guests and observers to Sydney and to the meeting of the Council.

He introduced the participants to Drs. Peter Hardy Smith and Frank Martin who extended their welcome on behalf of the organizing committee of the Congress. They outlined the logistics for events for the week.

II. Approval of Minutes, , ICO Meeting - Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 20, 2001

ACTION: Upon receiving no suggestions for additions or corrections to the minutes as submitted, Dr. Naumann requested that Drs. Faal and Khan sign the minutes as approved.

III. ICO Statues and Regulations plus Implementation of our New Structure and Function. (See attachment 1)

Drs. Naumann and Spivey presented the participants with four documents:

Proposed revision of one statue for adoption by IFOS and approved revision of regulations adapted October 9th, 2001.
Statues and regulations as now existing.
New structure as approved in Buenos Aires, July 20-21, 2001
Proposed membership in the Council 2002-2006

ACTION: After discussion, a motion was accepted to file the reports submitted.

IV. Election of Members of the Council Serving in New Positions Defined in Buenos Aires and not Presently Serving on the Council

ACTION: The Council unanimously elected Dr. Richard Abbott, Guidelines Director, and Dr. Alfred Sommer, Research Director, to the new positions created within the Council.

V. Report of the President (see attachment 2)

Dr. Naumann presented his report outlining a summary of activities, program and project status, and the lengthy travel schedule (taken at personal expense by the officers of the ICO).

ACTION: A motion to receive and file the report was approved.

VI. Report of the Treasurer

Dr. Gloor presented the Treasurers report which contained the auditors report, proposed budgets for 2002-2003 and a proposed dues change to be presented to the IFOS at their general assembly.

ACTION: The Council approved a motion to:

Accept the auditors report
File the report of the Treasurer
Adopt the proposed budgets for 2002 and 2003 based on an anticipated dues increase and
Proposed to the IFOS a dues increase to CHF 3 upon ratification of the new statue revision by IFOS (previously approved by the Council).

VII. Report of the Secretary General (See attachment 4)

Dr. Spivey began his presentation with a review of pending and possible meeting sites and dates for future meeting of the Council and Congress 2003 to 2010. He noted that the site for 2010 would be decided at this meeting.

He noted the need for the Council to begin to professionalize the selection process for future site selections to include specific criteria for facilities, accommodations, logistics, and financial return to the IFOS from joint efforts.

Dr. Spivey noted that over the course of time the Council has become increasingly professional in its deliberations and he urged the Council to adapt the international code of deliberation: Roberts Rules of Order, as the standard by which the business of the Council would be conducted when consensus cannot be readily reached.

ACTION: The Council approved without dissent Roberts Rules of Order to guide their deliberative process when needed.

Dr. Spivey introduced the Council to the concept of building a consent agenda into the structure of the Council meetings. The consent agenda is a concept of presenting routine, repetitive, informational items on the agenda which require little or no deliberation by the members to the Council to adopt or approve. The items in the consent calendar are adapted en mass by the Council by consent. In order to protect the rights of the membership, any member of the Council can request that any item in the consent agenda can be removed from the consent agenda to receive full deliberation within the full meeting agenda.

ACTION: The Council agreed to proceed with the adoption of a consent agenda as a tool to facilitate their deliberation of routine matters.

Dr. Spivey reminded the Council of their decision link their Meetings and Congresses to large national or supranational meeting which have tended to meet every two years on odd numbered years. The Council may, of necessity, need to begin to shift its schedule from even to odd numbered years in the future sometime subsequent to 2010.

ACTION: The Council agreed to a motion that meetings of Congresees may need to shift to odd numbered years in the future in order to accommodate linking to large national or supranational meetings.

ACTION: The Council agreed to accept and file the report of the Secretary General.

VIII. Report of the President of IAPB (See attachment 5)

Dr. Hanna Faal presented her report which outlined the success of World Sight Day, a restructuring of the IAPB, and the activities of VISION 2020 – The Right to Sight.

ACTION: The Council agreed to receive and file the report as presented

IX. Comments Regarding the XXIX International Congress

Drs. Peter Hardy Smith and Frank Martin reiterated their welcome to Sydney and then reviewed the Scientific, Social and Logistical elements of the meeting for the participants and guests.

X. Progress Report of the XXX International Congress, Brazil 2006

Dr. Belfort outlined initial plans and revenues of the XXX International Congress: Titles he suggested include "World Congress of Ophthalmology – A Joint Congress of the XXX International Congress of Ophthalmology, The XXVI Pan-American Congress of Ophthalmology, and the XXXIV Brazilian Congress of Ophthalmology."

His goal is to link all international societies, national societies, supranational, subspecialties societies, and industry in this meeting with 10,000 participants.

He noted that as an added attraction the meeting will conclude one day before Carnival to allow the participants to join in this unique celebration.

XI. Policies and Procedures Regarding Future Congresses (See attachment 6)

President Naumann reviewed for comment and discussion policies and procedures concerning future Congresses. He stressed that the changes proposed will need to evolve slowly in consideration of commitments previously made by the Council on behalf of IFOS.

He noted the attempt to hold International (World) Congresses on a two-year cycle in association with multinational meetings. He stressed the need to gain industry support if we are to succeed in this effort.

Dr. Naumann noted the inefficiency of "reinventing the wheel" each time a Congress is created. He foresees the need for a Congress administration infrastructure that could support a regionally driven agenda.

No formal action was taken by the ICO participants on this agenda item, but there was a consensus that the Council should proceed along the lines of Dr. Naumann's presentation and that he should begin to formulate a group that could evolve into an administrative infrastructure. Dr. Spivey was appointed as Chair of a small committee (Frank Martin and Rubens Belfort) to create policies and guidelines for Council approval for future International Congresses.

As this group is formed, several participants voiced their opinion that there needs to be a negotiation of the venue, logistics, and revenue to the IFOS before site selections are finalized by the Council.

XII. Presentation by Ophthalmic Organizations that Desire to Host International Congresses/The World Congress of Ophthalmology

(ACTION on this item was deferred to a previously agreed upon time after lunch, but the following events occurred.

By mutual agreement the hosting organizations order of presentation for each year was determined by a flip of a coin.

2010
To avoid any hint of bias, the President, Dr. Naumann, relinquished the Chair for the discussion and voting of the 2010 issue to Vice President, Dr. Tso.

Jerusalem
Dr. Michael Blumenthal presented the ICO with the opportunity to meet in Jerusalem outlining the facilities, program and travel support available in their proposal.

Berlin, Germany
Drs. Gerhard Lang, Gabriele Lang and Anselm Kampik presented the ICO with the opportunity to meet in Berlin outlining the revenue, travel support and facilities to support their proposal.

ACTION: By written ballot the members of the Council voted to select Berlin as the site for the XXXI International Congress of Ophthalmology.

2008
Hong Kong, China
Drs. Patrick Tung and Benson Cheung and Dennis Lam led a large contingent of representatives who presented the Council with a review of opportunities to meet in Hong Kong, hopefully with the Asia-Pacific Academy, having previously delivered a formal invitation.

New Delhi, India
Dr. Pran Nagpal presented the Council with an outline of the benefits of meeting in India and reviewed the presentation material for their consideration.

ACTION: By written ballot the members of the Council voted to select Hong Kong as the site for the Congress in 2008 (an unnumbered Congress).

XIII. Visual Standard for Blindness

Dr. Colenbrander presented his major work entitled Visual Standards – Aspects and Ranges of Vision Loss with Emphasis on Population Surveys.

Members of the Council noted that revisions had been made to the original proposed resolution that provide greater clarity in intent and utilization (discussed by the Advisory Committee on April 19).

ACTION: The members of the Council approved the resolution, as revised. The document, Visual Standards: Aspects and Ranges of Vision Loss, as presented by Dr. Colenbrander was accepted as the preferred terminology, and approach for population analysis and clinical research.

The Council further expressed its strong appreciation to Dr. Colenbrander for the major effort he undertook in developing the Report for the ICO.

XIV. Communication – Status and Recommendation

Drs. Spivey, Lichter, Nagpal, and Mr. Felch all presented reports on their activities designed to enhance the communication capabilities of IFOS and the Council.

ACTION: The Council authorized Dr. Spivey to begin to seek sponsorship to enhance the ICO website according to a plan submitted by Mr. Felch.

Dr. Lichter outlined two possible vehicles the ICO could select as portals for International Ophthalmology to link together. He will work with Dr. Spivey to gain clearer understanding of the opportunities.

Dr. Nagpal noted the stable value of a printed newsletter for IFOS, even in the world of Internet connectivity. He asked the ICO members to help him seek sponsors for the newsletter to aid in its distribution and production.

XV. Report of the Advisory Committee

Dr. De Laey reported that the largest portion of the Advisory Committee agenda, on the previous day, was taken up by the Visual Standards report which the Advisory Committee had reviewed and revised for presentation during their meeting and the Education Committee report which follows this report in the ICO agenda as a result he deferred in-depth reporting on these two items.

He did note the receipt of regional reports and a unique memorandum from Frank Billson on telecommunications as an arm to assist Twinning among institutions (see ACICO minutes 4/19/02).

In conclusion, Dr. De Laey noted that this was his final report as Chair of the Committee as his tenure of office concluded with this meeting. He expressed his thanks to all past and current committee members, and to the ICO for its guidance and support.

President Naumann expressed the gratitude of the ICO and IFOS for Dr. De Laey's leadership over the past eight years.

XVI. Report of the Education Committee (See attachment 8)

Dr. Watson presented his report noting the participation in the program, organizational logistics, printing, distribution, future dates and fees.

With the full support of the Advisory Committee he made the following recommendations to the ICO:

Request for transfer and refunds be limited to two times and that a Service Fee (based in actual cost) be changed to cover transaction costs for transfers and refunds.
That partial profits from the exam be used to defray the costs of translations for the program.
That as a replacement for Dr. Watson is designated, funds be included in the budget to support travel for the designee to the ICO meeting and one other International meeting per year.

ACTION: The ICO agreed to approve all three proposals suggested by Dr. Watson and expressed their continuing gratitude for his efforts.

XVII. Report of Multinational Committee

The ICO received and filed the reports of the various Supranational (Multinational) organizations.

XVIII. Report of Vision for the Future Committees

Advocacy – No report. Director to be appointed.
Assessment – See XVI above
Communication – No report. Director to be appointed.
Education – See attachment 9
Fellowship – See attachment 10
Guidelines – See attachment 11
Research – See attachment 12
Standards – See XIII above

ACTION: All reports were received and filed by the ICO.

XIX. Foundation (or Foundations) of the International Council of Ophthalmology (See attachment 13)

Dr. Straatsma, acting at the request of the ICO in Buenos Aires, submitted Articles, Bylaws, and Standing Rules for the establishment of a Foundation for the International Council of Ophthalmology. He noted that tax implications within different Nation States may require the creation of multiple Foundations dedicated to the same goals.

ACTION: The ICO formally adopted Articles of Incorporation Bylaws, Standing Rules, to establish the International Council of Ophthalmology Foundation and directed Drs. Spivey and Straatsma to take the necessary steps to bring about legal Incorporation.

ACTION: The ICO gave its approval to have the Executive Committee of the ICO name the first Foundation board members.

XX. IFOS Membership – Dues and Voting rights

Drs.Gloor and Naumann reminded the ICO that formal action by the IFOS may be taken only by those representatives within IFOS whose organizations are current in the payment of their dues.

Dr. Tso noted that true voting representatives will be presented with medallions (gifts to the IFOS organizations from the Officers of the ICO) which can be used to identify them as voting representatives.

XXI. Status of the Relationships Between Vision For The Future and VISION 2020 – The Right to Sight (See attachment 14)

In presenting her report, Dr. Faal emphasized the opportunity for ophthalmology and the NGO's have to meld their planning and policy formulation.

She suggested, and Dr. Naumann agreed, that a gap analysis could be beneficial to both plans to see what is missing. They both agreed on the need of the Executive bodies of both groups to meet to seize upon the opportunity to compliment the effort of each plan.

ACTION: The ICO approved the report of Dr. Faal and agreed to act on her suggestion for a joint meeting of the two executive groups (ICO and IAPB).

XXII. IFOS

President Naumann commented on the Agendas for the planned IFOS Leaders Meeting on April 22 and for the General Assembly to follow. He asked all members of the ICO and guests to attend the meetings and to use the time to interact with the IFOS representatives.

He noted the intent of ICO to call for IFOS Assembly's every two years to be held in conjunction with large multinational and subspecialty society meetings. He announced that the next Assembly is scheduled for 2004 in New Orleans, LA, USA at the joint meeting of the AAO/SOE.

Dr. Spivey presented the Council with the results of two Needs Assessments among organizational leaders of ophthalmic societies around the world.

He asked the Council members for comment and feedback on the priorities and action plans suggested by the needs assessments. He is actively seeking suggestions as to how the Council can work more closely with ophthalmic societies within and outside IFOS. There is an interest to add Subspecialty representatives over time.

XXIII. Consent Calendar/Agenda

ACTION: All items in the consent agenda were received and filed by the ICO.

The concept of an ICO Atlas was endorsed.

The gifts of IFOS medallions were acknowledged.

The WHO classification of impairments, disabilities and handicaps were noted as no change has occurred.

XXIV. New Business (See attachment 16)

ACTION: The Council by written ballot unanimously approved the proposed slate of officers and members of the ICO for 2002 – 2006. This slate will be presented to the IFOS Assembly for their review and action.

XXV. Presentation of Current Members Address List

Dr. Spivey presented the current address lists for members of the ICO and its Advisory Committee with the request that each member supply him with any necessary corrections.

XXVI. Adjournment

President Naumann extended his gratitude to each member of the Council, the guests, observers, and staff who contributed to the success of the meeting and then received the tribute of the Council members in a standing vote to adjourn.

Next: Minutes of July 20 -21, 2001 Meeting of International Council of Ophthalmology, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Also see: ICO, IFOS and Ophthalmologic Society News

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