Privacy Statement for the AMS Website

The Australasian Menopause Society Limited (AMS) has created this privacy statement to demonstrate our firm commitment to privacy. The following sections disclose the information gathering and dissemination practices that are operating on our website

Collecting Information

When you visit this website, we may make a record of your visit and log some or all the following information for statistical or maintenance purposes:

No attempt, however, will be made to identify individual users or their browsing activities, unless required by law, nor will broad demographic information be used for marketing or general contact purposes.

Your e-mail address will only be recorded if you send us a message via any of the contact forms. It will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it, and it will not be added to a mailing list, nor disclosed without your consent.

Google Analytics

Currently we are using Google Analytics to analyse the audience of our website and improve our content. No personal information is collected from Google Analytics. For further information on the privacy policy concerning Google Analytics, please go here.

Email Addresses

The AMS will record your e-mail address if you send us a message requesting us to do so for a particular purpose or activity. Your email will be used for the purpose for which you have provided it and will not be added to a mailing list unless you request us to do so. We will not use your e-mail address for any other purpose, and will not disclose it, without your consent.

Third Party Access to Information

Except where specified to the contrary, it is our policy not to sell or pass on any personal information that you may have provided to us unless we have your express consent to do so, or where we are required by law to do so.

Supplemental Information

The AMS website contains links to other sites. The AMS is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of these websites.

Contacting the Website

If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Website, please visit our contact page for contact information, or use the feedback form.
 
Australasian Menopause Society Limited

Content updated May 2024

AMS Board structure and duties

The AMS Board consists of 10 elected members plus the immediate Past President. The Editor of Changes and representatives of CAMS (Council of Affiliated Menopause Societies) and APMF (Asia Pacific Menopause Federation) are invited to attend Board meetings. The Editor of Changes does have voting rights but CAMS and APMF representatives do not.

The Board Executive includes the President, President Elect, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary. The Chair of the Education Sub-committee has been co-opted onto Executive in recent years.  As per item 49, memorandum of Association, the President, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary are ex-officio members of all subcommittees.

The Executive and Secretariat maintain regular email contact, dealing with any business arising on a daily to weekly basis.

The business of the Society shall be managed by the Board (item 39) and the Board may delegate powers or functions (not being duties imposed on the Board as the Officers of the Society by the Rules of the general law) to one or more subcommittees consisting of such member(s) of the Society the Board sees fit (item 49).

Thus as the duty of the Board is to manage the business of the Society all subcommittees need to report directly to Board such that Board members are constantly fully briefed of Society activities. Board approval is required for major undertakings of any of the subcommittees. When urgent approval is required and full Board approval cannot be attained in a timely manner, approval by the Board Executive will be acceptable, and the full Board should be informed of the decisions made.

Subcommittees include:

• Programme Organising Committee
• Annual Meeting Local Organising Committee
• Education Committee
• Website Committee
• Research Committee (currently under Education Committee)

All minutes of meetings of each of the subcommittee must be lodged with the Executive Officer of the Society and then distributed to Board such that all Board members are aware of all the Society’s ongoing activities.

Individual Board member descriptions:

1 President 

• General: Is a partner with the organisation’s Executive Officer in achieving the Society’s mission. Provides leadership to the Board and ensures the effective action of the Board in governing and supporting the organization, and oversees Board affairs. Acts as the representative of the Board as a whole.
• Community: Speaks to the media and the community on behalf of the organization (as does the Executive Officer); Represents the AMS in the community.
• Meetings: Develops agendas for meetings in concert with the Executive Officer. Presides at Board meetings.
• Committees: Recommends to the Board which committees are to be established. Seeks volunteers for committees and coordinates individual Board member assignments. Makes sure each committee has a chairperson, and stays in touch with chairpersons to be sure that their work is carried out; identifies committee recommendations that should be presented to the full Board. Determines whether executive committee meetings are necessary and convenes the committee accordingly.
• Executive Officer: Establishes search and selection committee (usually acts as chair) for hiring an Executive Officer. Convenes Board discussions on evaluating the Executive Officer and negotiating compensation and benefits package; conveys information to the Executive Officer.
• Board Affairs: Ensures that Board matters are handled properly, including preparation of pre-meeting materials, committee functioning, and recruitment and orientation of new Board members.

2 President Elect 

• President Elect is elected from the Board and on retirement of the current Board, becomes the new President.
• The President Elect's role is to provide support to the President, and to become familiar with the responsibilities of the presidency. The President Elect shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or incapacity of the President, and shall serve as President during the remainder of the term should the office of President become vacant. At the end of a two year term as President Elect, he/she automatically becomes President of the Society.
• It is recommended that ideally individuals recommended for the office of President Elect possess the following minimum qualifications for consideration:
  1. A member of the society for at least 4 years
  2. Served at least one term on Executive
  3. Served on at least one Annual Meeting Committee
  4.Served on at least one Society Sub-committee

3  Past President

Past President remains on AMS Board and Executive to provide continuity and serves in a mentoring role to other members of Board, especially new Board members.

4 Honorary Treasurer

• Honorary Treasurer is elected from the Board.
• General: Manages the Board’s review of, and action related to, the Board’s financial responsibilities. May work directly with the Executive Officer or other staff in developing and implementing financial procedures and systems. Liaise with the ED AMS re monthly accounts, monthly payments and annual budget; 
• Reports: Ensures that appropriate and accurate financial reports are made available to the Board. Regularly reports to the Board on key financial events, trends, concerns, and assessment of fiscal health.
• The Honorary Treasurer shall be appointed for a period of two years and shall be eligible for re-election, but shall not hold office for more than four consecutive years. 
• Cash Management and Investments: Ensures, through the Investment Advisor sound management and maximization of cash and investments.

5 Honorary Secretary

• Honorary Secretary is elected from the Board or general membership and is part of Executive.
• The main role of the honorary secretary is assisting in governance
• Additionally the role of the AMS Honorary Secretary is to provide support to the AMS President, ensuring the smooth functioning of the Board and the AMS office. The Honorary Secretary shall be appointed for a period of two years and shall be eligible for re-election, but shall not hold office for more than four consecutive years. 

1. Minute all Board and Executive meetings & teleconferences. 
     -Typing of minutes is done by the Secretariat and is emailed to Secretary for checking
2. Check that a quorum is present at meetings for decision making purposes  
3. Minute Annual General Meeting (AGM)
4.  Report to Board on activities undertaken since previous meeting 
5. Report to membership at AGM on relevant Board matters 
6. Organise election of Board members on alternate years (odd years). 
    Ensure that elections of new Board members are carried out within the rules of the Society.  
    Ensure that voting arrangements for new Board members are administered in a   
    professional and transparent manner 
7. Prepare any reports as requested by Board or the Executive. 

6  Board members

• Board members are elected to Board from the general membership of the Society for a period of two years.
• Board members , on being elected, should make themselves aware of the Mission/Objectives/Memorandum of Understanding and Strategic plan of the AMS
• Board members need to be available for 2 meetings a year. These meetings are 1-2 days, and one is attached to the Annual meeting of the AMS.
• Board members need to be available for occasional teleconferences throughout the year and to reply in a timely manner to Board emails approximately every 2-4 weeks.
• Board members are expected to participate in/chair Board sub-committees and to generally contribute to the discussions and decision making of Board.
• Board members represent their state(s) and should bring relevant local AMS information/feedback to Board.
• Board Member role description:

1. Regularly attends Board meetings and important related meetings.
2. Makes serious commitment to participate actively in committee work.
3. Volunteers for and willingly accepts assignments and completes them thoroughly and on time.
4. Stays informed about committee matters, prepare themselves well for meetings and reviews and 
    comments on minutes and reports.
5. Gets to know other committee members and builds a collegial working relationship that contributes to consensus.
6. Is an active participant in the committee's annual evaluation and planning efforts.
7. Participates in fund raising for the organization

7 Changes Editor

• Changes is the newsletter/magazine sent to each financial member.  It is sent quarterly i.e. March, June, September and December.  
• The Editor of Changes will be voted for by Board from nominees from the Society membership. The Editor undertakes the responsibility of the content of Changes and thus should seek peer review for any submitted articles and seek Board review prior to publication
• Changes Editor should attend Board Meetings
• The Editor works closely with the Secretariat to prepare Changes.

Preparation of Changes

• The Editor plans each issue 3 months prior to secretariat preparation (dates below) 
• Preparation of each issue should commence 7-10 days before the end of the following months, i.e.  20 February, 20 May, 20 August, and 20 November.  It can take 2-3 weeks to collate all of the material.
• The Editor plans the theme of each issue, commissions 3 -4 authors from a multi disciplinary background.  The brief is to compile a clinically focused but evidence-based article 800-1600 words up to 5-10 references.  This needs to be submitted 1 month prior to preparation of Changes.  The Editor then organises peer review then edits the article and returns these changes for approval to the author. 
• Once prepared Changes is sent to Board for comment.  It is then returned for final complete review by the Editor before going to press.   The Editor also needs to review submitted books and material; as well as advertisements and decide if appropriate.  If unsure email correspondence with Executive Board members may be required.

8 Board of Affiliated Menopause Societies (CAMS) member

• Representative of AMS, chosen either from Board or general membership.
• The term is for 3 years.

9 Asia Pacific Menopause Federation  ( APMF) member

• Representative of AMS, chosen either from Board or general membership

10  AMS Program Organising Committee  ( POC) Guidelines (previously: The Annual Meeting Scientific Committee)

• The Program Organizing Committee of the AMS is appointed to organize the Annual Scientific Meeting each year. The aim is to develop a collegial approach with a variety of disciplines being represented on the POC. In the interest of preserving corporate memory within the committee, at least a 2 year term is preferred, with a change of members on a rotational basis. Having the Chair of the LOC on the POC will facilitate the showcasing of local people in each state.
• It is intended that this Committee will provide a relevant program that may include innovative approaches to meet the educational needs and expectations of the Society membership at the Annual Congress.
• This Committee will propose the scientific content for the Annual Congress in accordance with the Congress theme proposed to / by, and approved by the Board.
• The Chair of this Committee will be appointed by the Board.
• The Chair of this Committee will convene a committee of members of the Society and will include the Chair person of the Annual Meeting Local Organising Committee.
• This committee will propose an outline of the program for the Annual Meeting, which is usually held in the second half of each calendar year. The draft program including proposed plenary speakers should be submitted to Board for approval before the 30th November of the calendar year preceding the Annual Meeting such that the program and plenary speakers can be approved of and finalised prior to 31st December of the preceding year.
• No speakers should be invited until the Board/Executive has approved the overall program and the plenary speakers.
• This Committee should liaise with the Annual Meeting Local Organising Committee Chair and the Honorary Treasurer regarding the meeting budget such that the Society is not inappropriately exposed.

10.1 - Committee Composition

• Chair of Program Organising Committee
• Chair of Local Organising Committee
• Chair of Education Sub-committee
• Representatives from a variety of disciplines: endocrinology, general practice, gynaecology, psychiatry/psychology and other special interest groups involved in menopausal medicine related health.
• Suggested committee size 6
• Executive to be ex-officio

10.2 – Program

• Draft program to be submitted to Board before Christmas of the year preceding the Congress
• Costs for overseas Speakers to be approved by Board
• Final Program to be ready for printing 4 months prior to Congress

10.3 – Judging of Annual Scientific Awards

Awards are:

• Jean Hailes Memorial Prize is presented to the best free communication or poster presentation by a current AMS member who is still within 10 years of completing their tertiary degree. Presenter to indicate eligibility for this prize when submitting abstract. The winner will receive a certificate of honour and AUD$500.
• Barbara Gross Award is presented for the best overall free communication or poster by any delegate.  All free communications and posters presented at the Congress will be entered for this award. The winner will receive a certificate of honour and AUD$1,000.
• Australasian Menopause Society Award
  This award is the most prestigious award offered by the Australasian Menopause Society and recognises a distinguished person in the field of menopause, who has given much of their life to making a significant contribution to this field.  Awarded every two years, the award will be presented at the congress dinner (Saturday 10 September) and will include a cheque for AUD$1,000.00 and a trophy of honour. 
• Australasian Menopause Society Scientific Award is presented for the most  meritorious contribution to the field of menopause by an Australian or New Zealand investigator.  This is an annual award based on a published/accepted paper in the past 12 months accepted and in press by 30 June 2011.  The paper should be on a specific subject related to menopause. The winner will receive a certificate of honour and AUD$500.00
  
  Members are invited to nominate any member of the Society who is felt to have made such contribution together with a supporting summary of the nominee's achievements in the field of menopause and women's health. Nominations should be sent to the Secretariat by June 30.
• Judges of the Awards are chosen by the Chair of the POC and Chair of Research sub-committee.
• There are 2 judges per room, with a tight scoring system, so that when they come together to make a final decision, the choice about the winner is easier. 
• Well defined criteria for judging will be sent out to each presenter and the judges well in advance of the meeting.

11 AMS Local Organising Committee Guidelines

• This Committee is chaired by a member who is appointed by Board and will organise the Annual Congress in collaboration with the Annual Congress Programme Organising Committee. This committee will work closely with the appointed congress organisers to arrange the venue, accommodation, non scientific components of the meeting and will be responsible for the meeting budget. This will include liaising with industry for congress support and support for travel awards and other congress awards.

Committee composition

• Chairman: appointed by Board at least 2 years prior to meeting
• Committee members from various disciplines: chosen by LOC Chairman. ( Should include Chair of POC and Chair of next LOC)
• Board executive: ex officio
• AMS Secretariat as liaison

Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) appointed for 3 year term by Board

Available for many of the tasks listed below

Structure of Annual Scientific Meeting

• Scientific Program: normally 2 ½ days form Friday morning to Sunday lunchtime & includes Welcome Reception and Congress Dinner
• Allied Health Professionals Meeting: usually one lunchtime
• AGM to be held during the ASM
• Board Meeting usually held the day prior to ASM
• Public Forum: Is organised on years where it is possible, and sometimes in partnership with other organisations.
• Pre-Congress Update – usually on half day prior to ASM.

11.1  Duties of LOC

• Set Conference date: usually September or October
• Avoid NAMS, IMS & ANZBMS meeting dates. Also avoid major religious festivals (e.g. Jewish New Year).
• Be aware of school holidays and other major medical meetings
• Confirm conference date with AMS Exec and Secretariat

12  Public Forum

• Chair needs to be elected from AMS membership, if the public forum is to go ahead.
• This needs to organized including the role of marketing the public forum, venue selection, setting the cost of admission if anything, running the budget. The profit or loss is included in the total conference budget – This needs to be discussed by Board to be confirmed.

13 Education Sub-Committee

• The Education Committee will be responsible for the educational material and activities outside the Annual Congress. This Committee requires sign off from Board for the broadly identified planned activities. The Chair person of this Committee is to be elected from the Board or may be co-opted from the membership. The Chair of this Committee will convene a committee of members of the Society

Chair Education Subcommittee – job description

1. To chair meetings of education subcommittee and its prescribed tasks as determined by Board
2. To continuously update AMS Information pamphlets, so that each is reviewed every two years and to write new ones as needed.
3. To coordinate the generation of consensus statements on behalf of the AMS for submission to Board
4. To respond to requests from members for educational resources and brief Board of same
5. To provide a report to the membership at the AGM
6. To report to Board on the activities of the education subcommittee and to participate in teleconferences of executive as required/regularly.

Education sub-committee members:

• Members need to be available for occasional teleconferences throughout the year and to reply in a timely manner to Board emails approximately every 2-4 weeks.
• Members are expected to participate in and to generally contribute to the discussions and decision making of the committee. Members should stay informed about committee matters, prepare themselves well for meetings and review and comment on minutes and reports.
• Members should make serious commitment to participate actively in committee work and volunteer for and willingly accept assignments and complete them thoroughly and on time.

14 Website Sub-Committee

• To maintain content, design and links of website both in members’ area and public domain   Loading material should be via one of two final common pathways – president and chair of website subcommittee.  If uncertainty as to the suitability the two persons should collaborate. 
• To maintain domain registration and key, handover to the incoming chair of website subcommittee or president.
• To liaise with the website designers as needed and approve accounts issued by same
• To review web hosting as required and approve costs of same
• To review the “housekeeping” role of the secretariat in website maintenance
  • Principles of Website Housekeeping:
    - All modification to the website shall be authorised by the chair of the website subcommittee or the President.
    - Consultation and assistance from the appointed web design/web maintenance providers shall be done after approval from the chair of the website subcommittee. 

15 Research Sub-Committee

• This committee is a sub-committee of the Education Committee.
• This Committee will be convened when the annual budget allows for funding for research projects and there is a call for submission for research grant awards.
• The Chair of this Committee will be appointed by the Board and hold a 2 year term of office.
• The Committee will act in accordance with the guidelines for research grant awards established by Board when funds are available.
• This Committee will evaluate submissions and make recommendations to Board as to which submissions should receive funding. Board should be notified of the recommended successful grantees prior to the grantees being informed of their success.

Content Updated 23 April 2014

Introduction

The Australasian Menopause Society is a professional organization whose members have the privileges and responsibilities ceded to professionals.

Professionals have specialized knowledge and skills which they are expected to exercise with competence and objectivity. Balancing these privileges are the responsibilities to adhere to the norms of professional behaviour.

Professional societies represent their members to the public and there are expectations by the public that these Societies will identify, disseminate and enforce the professional norms of their membership.

Codes of ethics have aspirational features identifying high standards of professional behaviour. They also include educational features indicating to members what would be the collective expectations of individual behaviour. Also included will be regulatory features indicating and supporting the appropriate roles of behaviour and issuing sanctions on occasion for violations.

This code of ethics has been developed by the board of the Australasian Menopause Society from templates developed for the Endocrine Society and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (see Appendix 1). This code is seen as a living document to be revised and amended as ethical issues evolve.

Executive Summary of the Code of Ethics

The Code is divided into two sections, the Responsibilities of the Society and the Responsibilities of the Members.

The responsibilities of the Society are to conduct the affairs of the Society in an ethical and prudent manner. It should be careful to maintain its independence from industry support and to ensure that its educational presentations remain objective and complete. The Society should be careful in endorsing or marketing products and services not of its own design. The Society's principal function is to disseminate knowledge about menopause science and practice. It must ensure that meetings, publications and courses given the Society's imprimatur remain of the highest quality. The Society has a responsibility to teach professional ethics and to respond to ethical dilemmas, as they become apparent.

The responsibilities of the Australasian Menopause Society members include respect for colleagues, including their work and their reputations, the honest performance and reporting of research and the honouring of predecessors and collaborators. This also includes appropriate sharing of research tools. Responsibilities involve high standards of research on humans, including respect for research subjects, informed consent, maintenance of privacy and confidentiality, ethical approval of the research design, and honest reporting of adverse results. Research employing animals should include respect for animals as sentient creatures.

Those who pursue clinical practice have the responsibility to treat their patients with respect and within their scope of expertise, including obtaining informed consent when appropriate. They should avoid or disclose conflicts of interest and maintain patient privacy and confidentiality in the clinical setting. They must keep adequate records and inform patients of clinical developments. They must remain informed of developments in their field of expertise from objective and complete sources. Physicians should be cautious in accepting gifts from pharmaceutical and device companies because these gifts may be intended to influence opinion. Physicians are obliged to use their expertise to participate in decision-making regarding the distribution of resources in medicine for the benefit of patients, both as individuals and as groups.

I.         Responsibilities of the Society as an organization

a.        Responsibilities of the Society:         General

The Australasian Menopause Society shall discharge its responsibilities to support menopause research, education, and clinical practice with excellence, openness and the highest integrity. The Society has a responsibility to promote high quality science and collegiality among its members and to protect member privacy. The Annual Scientific Meeting and other educational programs of the Society shall be conducted so as to provide the highest quality of objective information.  

1.    The Society shall not allow its objectivity to be influenced by corporate or other sources of income. Dualities of interest shall be disclosed in a timely and comprehensive manner.

2.    The Society shall provide prudent management of funds, verified by periodic auditing. The audit report shall be made available to members.

3.    The management of the Society shall be subject to regular performance review by Board.

4.     Members shall be kept informed of the activities of the Society and the affairs of the Society shall be open to the members, including the activities of its Committees.

5.    Member privacy and confidentiality shall be maintained in accordance with Australian privacy legislation.

6.    The Society shall conduct fair and democratic elections and ensure democratic decision-making among its Committees.

7.    The Society shall provide members with mechanisms for voicing their concerns. Timely and constructive responses to issues raised by members shall be an important Society function.

8.     The Society shall provide timely responses, as appropriate, to concerns and issues brought forth during public discussion regarding research and practice related to menopause.

9.    The Society shall strive to ensure that there are no barriers to any of its activities as a result of affiliation, sex, ethnicity or disability by encouraging diversity in all activities and all Committees.

10.    Society participation is based on volunteer efforts. While time commitments may be expected, members shall not be expected to incur significant financial expenses in their service to the Society. Service to the Society should not be based on economic considerations.

11.    The Society shall organize its activities to recognize the diverse professional needs of its members.

b.         Responsibilities of the Society:         Relations with Industry

Scientific societies and industry have a mutually beneficial relationship in which the Society receives substantial financial support for its scientific meetings. Conversely industry has an unparalleled opportunity to showcase its advances to a sophisticated and responsive audience. The Society needs to articulate and regularly update its policies related to funding from industry. This includes full disclosure and maintenance of independence in determining scientific content (including selection of sessions and speakers). Even with safeguards, the risk remains that meetings (and sessions) may appear to be influenced by commercial enterprises.

Meetings

Sources of commercial funding should not influence the scientific, educational, or public policy decisions of the Society.  

a.    Commercial supporters shall not control in any way the planning, content, speaker selection, or execution of any program of the Society, particularly those that are certified for continuing medical education credits.

b.    The display of commercial products or services in exhibit hall areas at Society meetings, symposium or social event sponsorship do not imply warranty, endorsement or approval of these products or services, nor effectiveness, quality or safety. The display of misleading data shall not be countenanced. Neither shall commercial sponsorships influence the subject matter of the Annual Meeting.

c.    Complete disclosure of commercial support is required for all Society-sponsored activities, as well as a balanced and objective presentation of data related to commercial products. Speakers are required to indicate at the time of their presentations any dualities of interest, including any relationship to the session sponsor.

d.    The Society will instruct program directors, speakers and commercial sponsors about these policies prior to every presentation.

e.    The appropriate Society Committee will develop a policy for nominating chairs for continuing education programs. Session chairs (or the Committee) will determine the content of the session and invite speakers with the approval of the Committee. Speakers will be asked explicitly to ensure balanced presentations related to controversial issues, including presentation of advantages and disadvantages of specific therapies.

c.        Responsibilities of the Society:         Endorsements

As a professional organization the Society may take positions intended to inform the public and/or educate legislators regarding specific issues related to menopause. Pivotal to this responsibility, the Society may act to promote the study, or increase awareness, of specific medical conditions.

In these cases, to the extent possible, the Society shall not support specific treatments in order to avoid compromising its objectivity and credibility. Further, such support should not be in return for a specific quid pro quo. Any such statements shall undergo formal internal review for their impact on the integrity of the Society.

d.         Responsibilities of the Society:         Marketing  

1.    The Society shall not participate in the marketing of health-related products with the exception of its own journals, educational materials and programs.

2.    The Society may make available to its members specific goods or services as a benefit (as in discounts or group availability), that may raise money for the Society, provided that the rationale of the endorsement and the benefit to the Society members are fully disclosed in advance.

e.        Responsibilities of the Society:         Sanctions

On occasion, the professional behaviour of a member might be such as to warrant a sanction by the Society. Such decisions require an unequivocal demonstration of professional behaviour that is unethical or illegal. Such decisions also require the administration of a due process procedure by the Society.

II.         Responsibilities of the Australasian Menopause Society members

A.         Responsibility to Colleagues   

1.    Members shall treat their colleagues with respect and promote collegiality.

2.    Members shall promote the educational and professional growth of their colleagues and trainees.

3.    Members shall give proper attribution to the accomplishments and works of colleagues, including junior physicians, trainees and medical students.

4.    Clinically related commercial ventures with colleagues shall maintain patient welfare as the top priority, not financial gain or academic promotion.

5.    Members shall report to appropriate authorities the conduct of colleagues that threatens research integrity, the integrity of the medical profession or patient welfare.

6.    Members who supervise trainees shall disclose to them their financial interests in projects directly involving the trainee's academic program. It is suggested that mentor-trainee relationships that involve these financial interests be delineated and approved by the institution's leadership.

B.         Research         (General)

Members of the Australasian Menopause Society are expected to conduct themselves according to the highest standards of professional behaviour in both research and clinical care. They should engage in responsible performance and reporting of research. They should behave in a collegial manner and share intellectual property appropriately.   

1.    Performance and reporting of research. Scientific studies must be carried out with rigor and honesty. Data should be reported fully and truthfully.

2.    To the extent possible, experimental results and analyses should be submitted promptly for publication. However, there are cases in which competitive and/or patent issues based on a proprietary interest in a new finding may require some delay in submission; this delay should be minimized. Dissemination of the results of negative studies is also important. To this end members conducting research should register their research with The Cochrane Collaboration or other appropriate bodies so that a record of unpublished results may be maintained.

C.         Responsibility to Review

Members have a responsibility to review articles submitted to scientific journals as well as research grant applications.  

1.    Reviewers should demonstrate respect for scientific inquiry, knowledge of the discipline and willingness to provide judgment of publications in a fair and impartial manner.

2.    When the request for review is made, reviewers have an obligation to inform the editor or manager immediately of actual or perceived conflicts of interest and to recuse themselves from the review, preferably without reading the submission.

3.    Reviewers are obliged to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of the communication.

D.         Research Tools

Sharing of materials should be a goal of investigators, applied to the extent it is practical. It is desirable to encourage agreements and basic guidelines for the transfer of research tools and the Society encourages dissemination of research tools without legal agreements whenever possible.

E.         Human Research:         Investigator Responsibilities

Research involving humans includes direct interaction with individual persons, and the acquisition or use of personal data from participants. All research must be justifiable in terms of its potential contribution to new knowledge, must be based on a thorough study of the existing literature, and must incorporate clearly stated hypotheses, methods and assessment of risks and discomfort to participants. Studies should be properly statistically powered and include appropriate controls.

1.    Members are responsible for ensuring that the welfare, rights, beliefs and customs of research participants are fully respected. They must give full informed consent to the proposed research.

2.    Members have a responsibility to ensure that the risk of harm or discomfort to participants in research is minimized. This responsibility exceeds that of any commitment to the goals or potential benefits of knowledge.

3.    Members should honour their commitment to obtain new knowledge and communicate it to other researchers and society. This commitment should prevail over other motivations for conducting research, including economic or academic benefit.

4.    All research involving humans must be conducted or supervised by individuals with the appropriate skill and experience in the conduct of human research.

5.    Adequate resources must be available for the proper conduct of the research, and provision must be made for adverse events.

6.    Participants in research should be indemnified against costs associated with any injury related to the study and should be informed of the terms of this indemnity in their consent process.

7.    Proper provision must be made for the secure storage of data obtained in the conduct of the work. Data should be safely stored for a specified period to allow verification of results and assessment of adverse events following administration of drugs.

8.    While full reports of the research should be published, the confidentiality of individual participants must be maintained.

9.    Where developing results suggest that the risks associated with a particular research project are significantly greater than originally anticipated, urgent IRB review should be requested, the participants notified and the research stopped.

F.         Human Research:         Informed Consent

Informed consent is a practical application of respect for a person. Consent should be directly obtained from subjects with decision-making capacity.

Before research involving human subjects is undertaken, the consent of each participant must be obtained. This involves the provision of sufficient information at a level, language and form appropriate to their knowledge, education and understanding. The purposes, methods, demands, risks (physical, psychosocial, economic and familial) and discomforts associated with the research should be disclosed in a context where a choice about whether to participate can be made free from coercion, pressure, or excessive inducements. The goal is the comprehension of the participants, not the teaching act of the investigators.

G.         Human Research:         Privacy and Confidentiality

The protection of confidentiality is an important, but not an absolute, value of medicine. Research involving human subjects should respect the privacy of the participants and the confidentiality of any data obtained in the course of the research in accordance with Australian privacy regulations.

H.         Human Research:         Clinical Trials

A clinical trial is a research study directed to the examination of a new therapy on persons. It may involve new drugs, devices or procedures for which limited efficacy and safety data are available. A trial may require the involvement of individuals with specific conditions that may make them especially vulnerable. The participants in clinical trials are usually committed individuals who are making sacrifices and taking risks in the interest of science. They must be treated with the utmost respect. Clinical trials provide potential for divergence among the interests of the investigator, the sponsor, and the patient. On the part of the clinician, conflicts of interest include career enhancement and financial gain versus adequate concern for the needs and rights of the patient.

Investigators should make their own decisions as to whether a clinical trial is well designed and ethical by understanding the literature and by ensuring adherence to the rules.

I.         Ethics of Clinical Practice

1.         Responsibilities to patients

(a)    Patients should be treated with respect, regardless of their social, financial or medical status, life-styles or sexual preferences.

(b)    Physicians must practise within their scope of expertise. Patients with conditions outside of this scope should, if possible, be referred to others with appropriate competence.

(c)    The religious and cultural values of patients shall be respected.

(d)    Physicians must maintain (or offer alternative) avenues of communication and/or access for patients after normal business hours and during holidays or vacations.

(e)    Conflicts of interest, that is, circumstances in which the physician has a financial interest in clinical or research ventures, must not be allowed to pose a threat to patient welfare, and shall be identified and disclosed.

(f)    Sexual relationships with patients, employees and students are ethically improper.

(g)    Privacy and confidentiality shall be maintained in patient relations. Conversations about specific patients should be held in private only with parties relevant to the care of the patient. Clinical records must also be held confidential and should not be released without the explicit or implicit permission of the patient, except when required by law.

(h)    Confidentiality may be breached when required by law, such as reporting of certain infections (TB, syphilis) or the possibility of child, spousal or elder abuse.

2.         Consent

(a)    While the ordinary practices of medicine including history taking, physical examination and provision of advice and medications involve the implicit consent of the patient, invasive procedures require explicit written consent. There are other practices that may require explicit informed consent, for example, using medications in an off label manner, especially when the risks are significant.

(b)    Obtaining consent is not always straightforward: for example, it may be limited by the nature of the illness, or by the ability of the patient to understand. Because of the close relationships that are often built up between doctors and their patients, great care must also be exercised to avoid undue influence.

3.         Reporting  

(a)    Medical practitioners have an obligation to ensure that all diagnoses, opinions and results of studies are recorded and followed up appropriately. A medical practitioner is obliged to attempt to inform a patient of significant results of tests.

(b)    Physicians have a responsibility to use existing, approved drugs in the most effective and appropriate way, to monitor their use, to report adverse reactions and to keep up to date with scientific developments.

4.         Clinical decision-making

As far as possible, clinical decision should be based on evidence as well as experience. However, evidence can vary in quality and may itself be subject to ethical values, either in relation to its acquisition or its application. Physicians have the responsibility to assess critically the nature of evidence on which their decisions are based and to remain aware that ethics and evidence cannot be separated.

5.         Gifts

Manufacturers may wish to offer physicians many gifts and members should be very sensitive to the potential influences these gifts may carry. Acceptable gifts include books, simple diagnostic kits or equipment etc.

6.         Expenses/Honoraria

After careful consideration and if one's academic independence can be preserved and respected, it is appropriate to accept reasonable travel/accommodation and sustenance expenses together with an honorarium commensurate with lost income to participate in research or educational fora. Such support should be acknowledged openly at the fora. The presenter should not be involved in the promotion of the sponsor's product and the lecture or presentation should be appropriate and the same as if the topic was presented to any independent peer reviewed meeting.

7.         Clinical Innovation

Recognizing that the boundary between clinical practice and research may be blurred, it is important that clinicians be committed to careful evaluation of new or potentially new treatments that are tried in the course of clinical practice. If clinical observation suggests that a new therapy may have promise, a more systematic evaluation of this therapy may be initiated. This systematic evaluation constitutes experimental therapy (or research). In this case, the clinician must ensure that appropriate procedures for ethical review and consent are followed.

8.         New Technologies

Physicians must become sensitive to new approaches to organizing health care on patient management, privacy and confidentiality all of which present new ethical dilemmas. In light of the potential for electronic breaches, physicians need to remain protective of their patients' privacy.

9.         Political role

Physicians play an important role in determining the distribution of health care resources. Doctors are always under an obligation to exercise restraint and responsibility in the use of society's resources. However, physicians are not simply agents required to carry out mandates regarding health care. For the benefit of their patients and of society they must use their knowledge and expertise to take initiatives to influence health care policy development and implementation.

Appendix 1

Stanley C Korenman, M.D. Chair
Ethics Advisory Committee Members: Mark Bach, MD, PhD; Katrina Bramstedt, MA; Paul Komesaroff, MD, PhD; Joan Lakoski, PhD; Katherine Moore, PhD; Robert Speth, PhD.

Australasian Menopause Society

Cointent Updated January 2008