{"id":12554,"date":"2019-05-11T15:32:41","date_gmt":"2019-05-11T14:32:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/WMA-Procedures-and-Operating-Policies-Apr2019.pdf"},"modified":"2019-05-11T15:32:41","modified_gmt":"2019-05-11T14:32:41","slug":"wma-procedures-and-operating-policies-apr2019-2","status":"inherit","type":"attachment","link":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/es\/seccion-de-miembros\/documentos-permanentes\/wma-procedures-and-operating-policies-apr2019-2\/","title":{"rendered":"WMA Procedures and Operating Policies-Apr2019"},"author":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"acf":[],"description":{"rendered":"

WMA Procedures and Operating Policies-Apr2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Procedures and Operating Policies
\nof the World Medical Association
\nThese Procedures and Operating Policies were approved by the
\n186th
\nWMA Council Session in Vancouver, October 2010
\nand amended by the 188th
\nWMA Council Session in Sydney, April 20111
\nthe 191st
\nWMA Council Session in Prague, April 20122
\nthe 203rd
\nWMA Council Session in Taipei, October 20163
\nand the 212th
\nWMA Council Session in Santiago, Chile 20194
\nTABLE OF CONTENTS
\nChapter 1. Election and Voting Procedures for All Bodies of the WMA 1
\nChapter 2. Procedures related to the work of the WMA General Assembly 3
\nChapter 3. Procedures related to the work of the WMA Council 7
\nChapter 4. Procedures for the Formulation of Declarations, Statements and Resolutions 14
\nChapter 5. Finance 18
\nChapter 6. Conflict of Interest Policy 21
\nChapter 7. External Relationships and Representation 23
\nChapter 8. Miscellaneous 25
\nChapter 9. Suspension 25
\nChapter 10. Amendment 25
\n1
\nChapter 3, Section 3.5.4, added new f)
\n2
\nChapter 1, Section 1.1.2, added new last two sentences
\n3
\nChapter 3, Section 3.5.2.2, added new last sentence
\n4
\nChapter 4, Section 4.5.3 and 4.6.1
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n1
\nIntroduction
\nThese Procedures and Operating Policies are established under the authority of, and subject to, the
\nArticles and Bylaws of the World Medical Association. In the event of any conflict among any
\nprovisions of the Procedures and Operating Policies and any provision of the Articles and Bylaws,
\nthe Articles and Bylaws shall prevail.
\nChapter 1: Election and Voting Procedures for All Bodies of the WMA
\nThe rules governing eligibility to stand for election to the various WMA offices and eligibility to
\nvote on various matters within the WMA can be found in the WMA Bylaws. This Chapter
\naddresses voting procedures only.
\n1.1 Election Procedures for all Officers
\n1.1.1 All elections of officers shall be decided by secret ballot unless there is only one candidate
\nnominated, in which case election may be by acclamation. If there are more than two
\ncandidates for any office, no candidate shall be declared elected unless he or she has
\nreceived a majority of the votes cast. If no candidate has received a majority of the votes
\ncast, then the name of the candidate receiving the smallest number of votes shall be dropped
\nand the remaining candidates shall be voted on again until one receives a majority.
\n1.1.2 The Secretary General shall supervise the counting of ballots in all elections conducted in
\nthe General Assembly and the Council and its Committees. In the case of election of the
\nPresident during the General Assembly, the Secretary General will also be assisted by the
\nmembers of the Credentials Committee who shall serve as tellers. In cases of officers
\nelected by the Council, and Committee Chairs elected by Committees, candidates must, to
\nthe degree possible, be present at the time of the election, except due to circumstances
\ndeemed acceptable by the electing body. Candidates will have an opportunity to speak to
\ntheir candidacy.
\n1.2 Voting Procedures for Policy and other Business Matters
\nVoting on policy and other business matters in the General Assembly, Council, and
\nCommittees shall normally be conducted by raising voting cards provided to eligible voters
\nby the Secretary General, with the following exceptions:
\na) Any member may request a roll call, which shall be conducted by the Secretary General
\nand recorded in the record.
\nb) Any member may make a motion to vote by secret ballot, which shall require the
\naffirmative vote of a majority of those present and voting, as prescribed in the Bylaws.
\nc) Any member may suggest adoption of a pending matter by consensus unless such
\nmatter requires an affirmative vote. If there is no objection thereto, the matter shall be
\ndeemed to be accepted. If any delegate objects to such adoption by consensus, the
\npending matter shall be put to a vote.
\nd) The General Assembly may decide to use an electronic system of voting if an
\nappropriate system is available.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\n1.3 Secret Ballot
\n1.3.1 The procedures for voting by secret ballot shall be decided by the Secretary General in
\nconsultation with the WMA Legal Advisor. Secret ballot voting may be conducted using
\npaper ballots or an electronic system, if available. Any process for voting by secret ballot
\nmust:
\na) ensure that all votes can be cast anonymously
\nb) provide the possibility of multiple rounds of voting
\nc) include a reliable and verifiable process for determining an accurate count of votes
\n1.3.2 The Secretary General will supervise the counting of ballots, assisted by the WMA Legal
\nAdvisor, for all voting on policy and other business matters conducted by secret ballot.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\nChapter 2. Procedures related to the work of the WMA General Assembly
\nThe following procedures for conduct of business of the General Assembly are established pursuant
\nto Chapter 4, Section 9 of the WMA Bylaws.
\n2.1 Agenda
\n2.1.1 Preparation
\na) The agenda for the Assembly shall be prepared by the Council, which shall have power
\nto decide whether or not a proposal submitted by a Constituent Member falls within the
\nobjectives of the Association.
\nb) The agenda shall include those matters prescribed as \u201cResponsibilities of the General
\nAssembly\u201d in Chapter IV, Section 2 of the WMA Bylaws.
\nc) All matters for consideration by the General Assembly shall be subject to any
\nprocedures and processes provided in the Bylaws or in these Procedures and Operating
\nPolicies.
\n2.1.2 Time Limits for Submitting Agenda Items
\na) Unless otherwise required under the Articles or Bylaws of the Association, matters to
\nbe considered by the General Assembly shall be submitted to the Secretariat at least
\neight weeks prior to the date of the meeting of the General Assembly at which the
\nmatter is to be considered.
\nb) The Council, at its discretion, after due consideration, may waive any time limit for the
\nsubmission of matters for consideration by the Assembly.
\n2.1.3 Urgent Matters
\na) Notwithstanding the above provisions, a Constituent Member may present an urgent
\nmatter for consideration by the Assembly. Urgent matters shall consist solely of matters
\nof substantial importance which were unknown or unforeseen at the time the agenda
\nwas prepared and which require immediate action that cannot be taken by any other
\nbody of the WMA within the appropriate time.
\nb) Notice in writing of the urgent matter shall be submitted to the Secretariat as soon as
\npossible and, if feasible, in sufficient time for the Secretariat to translate the proposal
\ninto the other official languages of the Association and distribute the proposal to the
\ndelegates.
\nc) Any proposal on an urgent matter shall be referred to the Council at its pre-Assembly
\nmeeting, or, if that meeting has already adjourned, the Council members present in the
\nAssembly chamber, who shall determine, there and then, whether or not the matter falls
\nwithin the objectives of the Association and whether or not the matter is urgent. The
\nCouncil members shall consult with the Secretary General and with such advisers as
\nthey deem necessary. If a majority of the Council members present determine that the
\nmatter is urgent and falls within the objectives of the Association, the matter shall be
\nconsidered by the Assembly.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\nd) As stipulated in the Bylaws, the adoption of any proposal on an urgent matter shall
\nrequire the affirmative vote of three-quarters of the Assembly delegates present and
\nvoting.
\n2.1.4 Recorded Material
\nThe proceedings at all meetings of the General Assembly shall be recorded verbatim, and
\nthe Secretary General is authorized to use all statements made in this record in preparing the
\nminutes of the meeting. Speakers not wishing their remarks to appear in the minutes are
\nobliged to indicate either at the beginning or at the end of their remarks their desire for such
\nstatements to be deleted from the record. The Secretary General shall remind meeting
\nparticipants at the beginning of each General Assembly that the proceedings will be
\nrecorded and that they must indicate clearly any remarks they do not wish to be included in
\nthe minutes.
\nThe Secretary General shall not be obliged to make amendments to the summary of the
\nmeeting if such amendments:
\na) Delete material not indicated by the speaker as confidential or \u00aboff the record\u00bb;
\nb) Add new material not presented during the discussion in Council;
\nc) Constitute only a rewording of the statement made before Council and do not change
\nthe meaning or the substance of the remarks.
\nThe audio files of the proceedings shall be kept until the minutes have been approved by the
\nGeneral Assembly, after which they shall be deleted.
\n2.1.5 Presentation in Official Languages
\nPrior to consideration by the Assembly, all matters on the agenda shall be presented to
\ndelegates in the official languages of the Association.
\n2.1.6 Scientific Session
\nThere shall be a Scientific Session included in the agenda of the General Assembly, the
\ntopic of which shall have been agreed upon at least one year previously by the General
\nAssembly. The schedule and duration of the Scientific Session shall be determined by the
\nSecretary General. The agenda of the Scientific Session shall be developed by the Secretary
\nGeneral in coordination with the host association for the General Assembly.
\n2.2 Order of Business of the General Assembly
\nThe agenda of the sessions of the General Assembly shall, in general, be developed
\naccording to the order of business described below. The order of business prescribed by the
\nagenda may be varied at any time by the General Assembly.
\n2.2.1 Ceremonial Session
\na) Call to Order. Declaration of convening of the Assembly.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\nb) Reception and Roll Call. Conduct official reception and roll call of delegations and
\ninternational observers by the Secretary General.
\nc) Greetings. Receive greetings from President, officials of host association, national
\nofficials of the host country, and other dignitaries, if present.
\nd) Installation of President. Install the President of the World Medical Association.
\nDuring the ceremony, the retiring President will deliver a final address and, after
\ninstallation, the incoming President will deliver an inaugural address.
\n2.2.2 Scientific Session
\nThe order of business of the Scientific Session shall be determined by the Secretary General
\nin coordination with the host association of the General Assembly
\n2.2.3 Plenary Session
\na) Credentials Committee. Receive the Report of the Credentials Committee.
\nb) Minutes. Approve the Minutes of previous General Assembly as distributed, with
\namendments, if any.
\nc) Committee Appointment. Appoint such committees as may be necessary or
\nappropriate to assist in conducting the meeting of the General Assembly and whose
\nservice shall be limited to the meeting of the General Assembly.
\nd) Election of President-Elect. Elect a new President-Elect of the World Medical
\nAssociation, pursuant to Chapter VI, Section 1 of the WMA Bylaws.
\ne) Report of the Council. Consider the Report of the Council to the General Assembly,
\nincluding the Financial Report, and motions for the adoption thereof in whole or in part.
\nf) Special Reports. Consider special reports, if any, and any motions for the adoption
\nthereof in whole or in part.
\ng) Motions by Constituent Members. Consider any other motions placed upon the
\nagenda of the meeting by Constituent Members.
\nh) Venue of Next General Assembly. Confirm the venue of the next General Assembly.
\ni) Any other Business. Consider any other business properly raised by Constituent
\nMembers.
\nj) Reference to Council. Refer to the Council all matters approved or adopted by the
\nAssembly which require that some action be taken.
\nk) Adjournment. Declaration of the adjournment of the General Assembly.
\n2.3 Presentation of Reports
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\nAll reports presented to the General Assembly shall be in writing and no report which has
\nbeen distributed in advance to the Assembly shall be read in its entirety unless the General
\nAssembly so demands. The Chair or, in his\/her absence, a member of the body submitting
\nsuch a report, shall merely comment on it and answer questions put by members of the
\nGeneral Assembly. In concluding the report, the Chair shall move:
\na) That each recommendation, if any, be adopted by separate vote;
\nb) That the rest of the report be approved;
\nc) That the report be adopted as a whole, subject to any amendments which may have
\nbeen made.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\nChapter 3. Procedures related to the work of the WMA Council
\nThe Council shall adopt, and thereafter abide by, such roles of procedure for the conduct of its
\nbusiness, and the business of the Standing Committees, as it deems advisable, provided that such
\nrules are not in conflict with any provision of the Articles and Bylaws. Such procedures, unless
\nextraordinary and temporary in nature, shall be described in these Procedures and Operating
\nPolicies of the World Medical Association.
\n3.1 Agenda
\n3.1.1 Agenda Preparation
\nThe agenda of the Council shall be prepared by the Secretary General, in consultation with
\nthe Chair of Council, and shall include any items of business remaining from the previous
\nCouncil session, any items referred to the Council by the General Assembly, and any new
\nitems of business properly submitted by Constituent Members and Council Members.
\n3.1.2 Timelines for Submitting Agenda Items
\nThe documents relating to each item on the agenda must be submitted to the Secretary
\nGeneral at least eight weeks prior to the opening of the meeting at which the items are to be
\nconsidered. The Secretary General shall distribute the agenda, with all necessary supporting
\ndocuments, to each Council member by e-mail at least four weeks in advance of the Council
\nmeeting.
\n3.1.3 Urgent Matters
\nConsideration of agenda items and documentation distributed to Council members less than
\nfour weeks prior to a Council meeting can proceed if the Council votes to consider the
\nmatter as an urgent matter. If not accepted for immediate discussion, it may be deferred to a
\nlater meeting of the Council.
\n3.2 Reports
\n3.2.1 Recorded Material
\nThe proceedings at all meetings of Council, with the exception of the Executive Sessions,
\nshall be recorded verbatim, and the Secretary General is authorized to use all statements
\nmade in this record in preparing the minutes of the meeting. Speakers not wishing their
\nremarks to appear in the minutes are obliged to indicate either at the beginning or at the end
\nof their remarks their desire for such statements to be deleted from the record. The Secretary
\nGeneral shall remind meeting participants at the beginning of each Council Session that the
\nproceedings will be recorded and that they must indicate clearly any remarks they do not
\nwish to be included in the minutes.
\nThe Secretary General shall not be obliged to make amendments to the summary of the
\nmeeting if such amendments:
\na) Delete material not indicated by the speaker as confidential or \u00aboff the record\u00bb;
\nb) Add new material not presented during the discussion in Council;
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\nc) Constitute only a rewording of the statement made before Council and do not change
\nthe meaning or the substance of the remarks.
\nThe audio files of the proceedings shall be kept until the minutes have been approved by the
\nCouncil, after which they shall be deleted.
\n3.2.2 Consent Calendar
\nThe Council may, at its discretion, use a consent calendar to consider reports from the
\nStanding Committees, workgroups, consultants, or other reports properly submitted for its
\nconsideration. Likewise, Standing Committees may use a consent calendar to consider
\nreports on its agenda.
\nWhen using a consent calendar, the entire report is presented and the Chair shall allow any
\nvoting member to extract an item or items for individual consideration. Requests for
\nextraction do not require a vote and all requests for extractions must be honored. Items do
\nnot need to be identified in any particular order. After the extractions have been recorded by
\nthe Chair, members shall vote on approval of the remainder of the report. Following the
\napproval of the remainder of the report, extracted items will be considered in the order in
\nwhich they appear in the report, unless the Council or Committee decides to address them in
\na different order. Extracted items are considered in the traditional manner, according to
\nestablished parliamentary procedure.
\n3.3 Documents Approved for Transmittal to the General Assembly
\nThe Council shall transmit to the General Assembly all reports, proposed Declarations,
\nStatements, or Resolutions, applications for WMA membership, financial documentation,
\nproposed amendments to the Articles and Bylaws, and other items that the Council has
\napproved and that require approval or adoption by the General Assembly according to the
\nWMA Bylaws. All items being transmitted shall be included in the Council\u2019s annual Report
\nto the General Assembly.
\nDocuments for transmittal to the Assembly shall be agreed upon in their final form and
\ncontent prior to the adjournment of the Council meeting at which the decision is made to
\nforward them to the General Assembly. Further additions to these documents and additional
\ndocumentation shall not be received for transmittal to the General Assembly unless of a
\ncritical or urgent nature, or resulting from a development occurring in the interim between
\nCouncil meetings.
\n3.4 Closed Sessions and Executive Sessions
\n3.4.1 Closed Sessions
\nCouncil Sessions shall be open to official representatives of all Constituent Members of the
\nAssociation and to such other observers as the Council members and the Secretary General
\nmay invite or permit to attend. However, the Council may vote to hold all or any portion of a
\nCouncil, including Committee meetings, as a \u00abClosed Session.\u00bb Attendance at a \u00abClosed
\nSession\u00bb shall be limited to Council Members; such staff, if any, as the Council may
\nauthorize; and such other persons as the Council may wish to appear before it.
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\n3.4.2 Executive Sessions
\nThe Council may vote to hold all or any portion of a Council meeting, including Committee
\nmeetings, as an \u00abExecutive Session.\u00bb Attendance at an \u00abExecutive Session\u00bb shall be limited
\nto Council Members and the Secretary General, together with such translation staff as the
\nCouncil may require. If the Council desires the decisions taken at the \u00abExecutive Session\u00bb to
\nbe recorded in the minutes, the Council shall so instruct the Secretary General. Unless such
\naction is taken and the decisions of the Council are so recorded in the minutes, they shall not
\nbe binding upon the work or conduct of the World Medical Association, Inc. or any of its
\nofficers, Council Members, agents or employees.
\n3.5 Standing Committees of the Council
\nThe Council shall adopt such rules of procedure for the conduct of the business of the
\nStanding Committees as it deems advisable, provided such rules are not in conflict with any
\nprovision of the Articles and Bylaws. The WMA Bylaws provide that the Standing
\nCommittees shall be:
\n1. Finance and Planning
\n2. Socio-Medical Affairs
\n3. Medical Ethics
\n3.5.1 Standing Committee Membership
\n3.5.1.1 Appointment
\na) The members of the Standing Committees shall be appointed by the members of the
\nCouncil from among its membership at the first meeting of the Council following the
\nbiennial election of members of the Council.
\nb) Each member of the Council must be prepared to serve on at least one and not more
\nthan two Standing Committees.
\nc) The Secretary General shall obtain from each member of Council an indication of
\nwhich Committee or Committees on which the member would be prepared to serve,
\nincluding any specific qualifications that may be relevant to such service. He or she
\nshall then recommend to the Council for its approval a roster of members for each
\nCommittee. The Council shall have discretion as to the number of members it appoints
\nto each Standing Committee.
\n3.5.1.2 Term of Service
\nIndividuals shall serve on the Committees for a period of two years provided they remain
\nmembers of the Council.
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\n3.5.2 Standing Committee Chairs
\n3.5.2.1 Election
\nA Chair shall be elected by the members of each Committee from among the Committee
\nmembership. The election shall take place at the first meeting of the Committee following
\nthe biennial election of members of the Council.
\n3.5.2.2 Term and Conditions of Service
\nThe Chair shall serve for a term of two years, the term expiring immediately before the start
\nof the meeting of Council following the next biennial election of members of the Council.
\nThe Chair shall be eligible for re-election provided he\/she remains a member of the Council.
\nAn individual may serve a maximum of six years in the position of Chair of each
\nCommittee. If an individual completes his\/her maximum term as Chair of a Committee,
\nhe\/she shall be eligible for election as Chair of another Committee.
\nThe Chair shall not hold any other elected position within the WMA during his\/her term as
\nChair.
\nWhere an individual begins serving as Chair midterm, such partial term shall not be counted
\ntowards the maximum six years that s\/he may serve as Chair.
\n3.5.2.3 Vacancy
\nIn the event of a vacancy in the position, at the next meeting of the Committee the members
\nshall elect a Chair to serve the unexpired portion of the term remaining.
\n3.5.3 Meetings of the Standing Committees
\nThe Standing Committees shall meet at least twice a year at the places and times agreed by
\nthe Council, but the Council may authorize additional meetings at places and times to be
\ndetermined by the Standing Committees themselves.
\n3.5.4 Finance and Planning Committee
\nIt shall be the duty of the Finance and Planning Committee to assist the Council and the
\nTreasurer to fulfill their responsibilities in respect of the financial affairs of the Association,
\nthe planning of meetings of the Council and of the General Assembly (including the
\nScientific Sessions) and the general administration of the organization. In particular the
\nCommittee shall advise the Council and\/or the Treasurer on:
\na) appropriate places and times for future meetings of the Committees, the Council and the
\nAssembly;
\nb) the appropriate level of the annual subscription to be levied on the constituent and
\nassociate members of the Association;
\nc) the preparation of a Balance Sheet and Financial Statement for the past year and an
\nestimate of the probable income and expenditure of the Association for the coming year;
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\nd) the oversight of the purchase, sale or maintenance of any real estate property of the
\nAssociation;
\ne) resolutions, properly submitted by constituent members, which do not rightly fall within
\nthe scope of the Medical Ethics or Socio-Medical Affairs Committees;
\nf) the development of the WMA Strategic Plan;
\ng) changes to the Articles and Bylaws, the Procedures and Operating Policies of the WMA,
\nor any other rules for the governance of the Association or the conduct of its business;
\nand,
\nh) any other matter properly referred to it by the Council or the Treasurer.
\n3.5.5 Medical Ethics Committee
\nIt shall be the duty of the Medical Ethics Committee to consider the ethical implications of
\nany matter concerning the relationship between the medical profession, the other health care
\nprofessions, the public and the national governments or authorities, and to advise the
\nCouncil on such matters. In particular the Committee shall advise the Council on:
\na) any draft of proposed Declarations, Statements or Resolutions of the Association which
\nare primarily ethical in nature;
\nb) any resolutions or motions properly submitted by constituent members or others and
\nwhich are primarily ethical in nature; and
\nc) any other matter properly referred to it by the Council.
\n3.5.6 Socio-Medical Affairs Committee
\nIt shall be the duty of the Socio-Medical Affairs Committee to consider, and to advise the
\nCouncil on, any matters with a medical or socio-medical content and which are not
\nprimarily ethical in nature or concerned with the financial, organizational and administrative
\nfunctions of the Association. In particular the Committee shall advise the Council on:
\na) any drafts of proposed Declarations, Statements or Resolutions of the Association which
\nfall within its general terms of reference;
\nb) any resolutions or motions properly submitted by constituent members or others which
\nfall within its general terms of reference;
\nc) any matters relating to women’s health issues; and,
\nd) any other matter properly referred to it by the Council.
\n3.6 Other Committees
\nThe Council shall establish such other Committees as it deems necessary or as requested by
\nthe Assembly. Unless otherwise determined, the Council shall define the functions and
\ncomposition of each Committee. All members of Council shall serve on Committees upon
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\nappointment by the Chair in consultation with the Secretary General. A Committee
\nestablished for a specific purpose shall cease to exist when the purpose for which it was
\nestablished has been accomplished.
\n3.7 Workgroups
\n3.7.1 Appointment
\nWorkgroups shall be appointed by the Chair of Council, usually upon the recommendation
\nof the Council or Standing Committees. Each workgroup will have a clearly formulated
\nmandate and shall cease to exist when the purpose for which it was established has been
\naccomplished or when Council so determines.
\n3.7.2 Members
\nThe Chair of Council will appoint a maximum of six individuals or constituent members to
\nserve on a workgroup, including a workgroup Chair.
\n3.7.3 Procedures
\n3.7.3.1 Support
\nThe Chair of Council and Secretary General will provide assistance and support to each
\nworkgroup in the implementation of its mandate including, when necessary, modification of
\nits membership or task.
\n3.7.3.2 Communications
\nElectronic forms of communication, especially web technology, will be used as the main
\nform of communication.
\n3.7.3.3 Meetings
\nFace to face meetings will be arranged only if essential. No simultaneous interpretation will
\nbe provided during meetings, unless it is absolutely essential.
\n3.7.3.4 Languages
\nOne of the official languages will be used as the working language for work documents and
\nmeetings. Translation of documents into the other official languages will only be performed
\nonce the final recommendations of the workgroup are being prepared.
\n3.7.3.5 Financial Implications
\nThere will be no remuneration of workgroup members except for the reimbursement of
\ntravel expenses, where appropriate.
\n3.8 Appointment and Privileges of Official Advisors
\n3.8.1 Appointment
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\nThe Council may appoint biennially persons as official Advisors to individual Standing
\nCommittees after consideration of nominations from the said committees or from the
\nindividual’s National Medical Association. Nominees must be members in good standing of
\nconstituent members, or Associate Members, or Officials or staff of the Association.
\n3.8.2 Privileges
\nAdvisors shall have the right to receive all documents circulated to members of the Standing
\nCommittee to which they are appointed, and to attend meetings of the said committee
\n(provided that their travel and subsistence expenses for such attendance are not a charge on
\nthe World Medical Association). On the invitation of the Chair, individual Advisors may
\nspeak at the meetings of the Committees to which they are appointed.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\nChapter 4. Procedures for the Formulation of Declarations, Statements and Resolutions
\n4.1 Definitions
\n4.1.1 A Resolution expresses WMA reaction to a specific, usually urgent, situation.
\n4.1.2 A Declaration or Statement reflects WMA policy on an issue considered to be of
\nsignificance, to be universally applicable and embodying principles that endure over time.
\n4.1.3 A distinction is made between a Declaration, which is broad in scope, and a Statement,
\nwhich is limited in scope. The decision to designate a policy document as a Declaration
\nshall be made by the General Assembly.
\n4.2 Criteria for a Declaration or Statement
\n4.2.1 The following criteria shall be applied in determining whether the Association shall consider
\na proposed Declaration\/Statement on a particular issue:
\na) the issue is an important factor in human health;
\nb) the issue is a matter of concern to physicians in all or most national medical
\nassociations; and,
\nc) the analysis and solution would benefit from the experience and\/or expertise of
\nphysicians.
\n4.2.2 When an intended proposal deals with an issue already covered by a previous
\nDeclaration\/Statement, the new text should be presented either as an amendment to the
\nprevious document, or presented as a revised version of the previous document with the new
\ntext included in it.
\n4.2.3 A Declaration\/Statement, when adopted, should represent a general consensus among
\nnational member associations on the issue.
\n4.3 Elements:
\n4.3.1 Normally each proposed Declaration\/Statement shall contain the following elements:
\na) a preamble which succinctly describes the issue and explains why it is a matter of
\nconcern to physicians world-wide;
\nb) a position on the issue, accompanied by arguments in support of the position and
\nrebuttals of opposing views; and,
\nc) a recommendation or recommendations for action, directed to specific agents, i.e.
\nnational medical associations, national governments, international inter-governmental
\nagencies (e.g. the United Nations, the World Health Organization), etc.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
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\n4.4 Process
\n4.4.1 A Declaration\/Statement may be initiated by or through one or more national member
\nassociations, by one or more associate members through the Associate Members Meeting, or
\nby a Standing Committee of the Association.
\n4.4.2 Other than in the case of initiation by a Standing Committee, a proposed
\nDeclaration\/Statement shall be submitted to the Secretariat in one of the three official
\nlanguages of the Association and in a form which contains the elements listed above.
\n4.4.3 The Secretariat shall ensure that any proposed Declaration\/Statement submitted for
\nconsideration contains the elements listed above and, if not, shall return the text to the
\ninitiator for revision. A proposed Declaration\/Statement which contains the required
\nelements shall be translated into the other official languages of the Association before
\nsubmission to the appropriate committee of the Association for consideration.
\n4.4.4 Once a committee of the Association has begun consideration of a proposed
\nDeclaration\/Statement, no alternative Declaration\/Statement on the same topic shall be
\nconsidered unless and until the original proposal has been voted down by the committee, the
\nCouncil or the General Assembly.
\n4.4.5 A committee of the Association after preliminary consideration of a proposed
\nDeclaration\/Statement may:
\na) Recommend that the document be referred to the national member associations for
\ncomments;
\nb) Postpone consideration of the document to a specified date, or
\nc) Not approve the document and recommend that it be not approved by the Council.
\n4.4.6 Where a proposed Declaration\/Statement is referred to the national member associations for
\ncomments, the comments received will be collated by the Secretariat and\/or an appointed
\nrapporteur and a new draft document developed taking into account the original document
\nand the comments received. A designated workgroup may serve as rapporteur. The original
\ndocument and the comments received would be translated and made available at the time of
\ndiscussion, but the rapporteur\u2019s draft would be the principal item under discussion.
\nThereafter, the committee may:
\na) Approve the proposed Declaration\/Statement without change, and recommend that it be
\napproved by the Council
\nb) Amend the document and approve it, and recommend that it be approved by the Council
\nc) Refer the document back to the rapporteur or the secretariat for further revision
\nd) Postpone consideration of the document to a specified date
\ne) Not approve the document and recommend that it be not approved by the Council
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n16
\n4.4.7 In the case of postponement of a proposed Declaration\/Statement, the committee shall
\nprovide reasons for this decision to the initiator.
\n4.4.8 Following consideration and recommendation by a committee, a proposed
\nDeclaration\/Statement shall be forwarded to the Council. The Council may:
\na) Approve the proposed Declaration\/Statement without change
\nb) Amend the document and approve it
\nc) Postpone consideration of the document to a specified date
\nd) Direct that the document be referred to the national member associations for comments,
\nand\/or refer the document back to the Committee for further consideration
\ne) Not approve the document
\n4.4.9 Upon approval by the Council, the proposed Declaration\/Statement shall be submitted to the
\nGeneral Assembly with a recommendation for adoption.
\n4.4.10 In the case of non-approval of a proposed Declaration\/Statement, the Council shall provide
\nreasons for this decision to the initiator. The initiator may request that the proposed
\nDeclaration\/Statement be submitted to the General Assembly for its consideration.
\nFollowing receipt of such request and the consent of four members of the Council, the
\ndocument shall be submitted by the Council to the General Assembly with a
\nrecommendation that it be not adopted.
\n4.5 Council Resolutions
\n4.5.1 The Council may adopt Resolutions on matters of substantial importance that require
\nimmediate action which cannot be taken by the General Assembly within the appropriate
\ntime. A Council Resolution may:
\na) Reaffirm a previous Declaration\/Statement\/Resolution
\nb) Express a position or reaction, which shall be based on the intent of a previous
\nDeclaration\/Statement\/Resolution or on previous WMA actions that are related in
\nsubject matter
\n4.5.2 A Resolution adopted by Council shall be designated as a \u201cResolution of the Council of the
\nWorld Medical Association\u201d, and shall not be included in the Handbook of WMA Policy,
\nbut may be made available to the NMAs, the press, and outside organizations and
\nindividuals.
\n4.5.3 The Council shall forward the Council Resolution to the next General Assembly for
\nadoption with a recommendation on how to proceed, considering the remaining urgency and
\napplicability of the Council Resolution at the time of the General Assembly. The latter
\nmaybe determined at the Council Session immediately preceding the General Assembly.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n17
\n4.6 Review of Declarations, Statements and Resolutions
\n4.6.1 In order that WMA policy statements remain up-to-date and relevant, they should undergo
\nperiodic review. Each Declaration and Statement shall be reviewed at least every ten years
\nand Resolutions at least every five years.
\n4.6.2 At a Council meeting each year, the WMA Secretariat shall provide the Medical Ethics
\nCommittee and the Socio-Medical Affairs Committee with a list of policy statements for
\nreview and recommendations for dealing with each one. After consideration, the Committee
\nmay recommend to Council that a policy statement:
\na) be reaffirmed with no changes or only minor ones (editorial corrections, deletion of
\noutdated references, etc., but no changes to the substance of the policy). Approval of
\nsuch revisions will be the responsibility of Council. They will be reported to the
\nfollowing General Assembly for information.
\nb) undergo major revision, following which the policy statement will be reviewed by the
\nappropriate committee and Council according to paragraphs 4.4.5 \u2013 4.4.9 (above).
\nc) be rescinded and archived. Upon approval by Council, the recommendation for
\nrescinding will be forwarded to the General Assembly for approval.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n18
\nChapter 5. Finance
\n5.1 Scope of the Annual Audit
\nThe WMA Bylaws stipulates that an audit of the accounts of the association shall be
\nperformed annually and that the scope of the audit shall be outlined in the Procedures and
\nOperating Policies of the WMA.
\nThe scope of the audit shall be based on accepted international standards on auditing and
\nshall cover all items in the Annual Financial Statement of the WMA. The Annual Financial
\nStatement shall comprise a balance sheet, statement of equity, income statement, and notes
\nfor the previous fiscal year, supplemented by additional schedules on the detailed accounts
\nof membership dues.
\n5.2 Investment Policy
\n5.2.1 Objectives
\n5.2.1.1 The purpose of the invested (reserve) funds of the WMA is:
\na) to meet unforeseen contingencies
\nb) to increase the financial ability of the Association to carry out its activities
\nc) to produce income in order to lessen the need for increases in the subscription rates
\nd) to provide real, inflation adjusted growth in the funds in the long-term; and,
\ne) to give a degree of liquidity, and operational and financial flexibility
\n5.2.1.2 The funds should be invested in a way that will ensure that they grow in real, inflation
\nadjusted terms and maintain the Association’s invested financial resources at a level to be
\nagreed between the Treasurer and the Finance and Planning Committee. The investment
\ngoals and plan will be reviewed periodically by the Finance and Planning Committee.
\n5.2.1.3 The allocation of the assets should be structured to provide the highest level of return within
\nthe risk parameters established by the Treasurer and the Finance and Planning Committee.
\n5.2.1.4 The investments shall be made only in highest quality securities and secure deposits taking
\ninto consideration the aspects of:
\n– maintenance of the real value of the Association equity
\n– permanent liquidity to cover the running expenses
\n– high yield
\n– shelter against foreign currency fluctuation
\n5.2.2 Prohibited Investments
\nNo investment shall be made that does not conform to Chapter VI, Section 4.D.i of the
\nWMA Bylaws, which requires that the Treasurer obey the ethical standards of the
\nAssociation when selecting the types and specifics of investments.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n19
\n5.3 Reimbursement of Per Diem Allowances and Travel Expenses to WMA Officers and
\nMembers of Council
\nThe term \u00abOfficers\u00bb, as defined in the Articles of the Association, indicates the President,
\nthe President-Elect, the Immediate Past President, the Chair and the Vice-Chair of Council
\nand the Treasurer.
\n5.3.1 WMA Meetings
\n5.3.1.1 Officers and Members of Council attending meetings of the Standing Committees, the
\nCouncil or the General Assembly (including the Scientific Session) of the WMA will be
\npaid a per diem allowance to cover the cost of the hotel room, meals throughout the day, and
\ntransportation to and from the nearest airport or railway station on arrival and departure. The
\nper diem allowance will be paid for the actual days of each meeting plus the day of arrival
\nonly.
\n5.3.1.2 Similarly, Officers or Members of Council attending an extraordinary meeting, in which
\nthey have been designated to participate, normally will be paid a per diem allowance for the
\nactual days of any such meeting, plus the day of arrival at the place of the meeting.
\n5.3.1.3 The level of the per diem allowance will be determined annually and notified to those
\nentitled to receive it for attendance on official business. Although the level of the per diem
\nallowance normally will remain the same throughout the year, the Treasurer shall have
\npower to decide on an adjusted rate of allowance for a particular meeting.
\n5.3.1.4 If the Secretariat makes special arrangements with a hotel or other meeting place to pay
\ncollectively for bedrooms and\/or specific meals the per diem allowance will be modified.
\n5.3.1.5 Officers and Members of Council traveling to meetings of Workgroups, the Standing Committees,
\nthe Council and the General Assembly shall be entitled to be reimbursed reasonable travel costs as
\ndetermined by the Treasurer in consultation with the Secretary General.
\n5.3.1.6 An Officer or Member of Council claiming travel expenses shall do so by completing a
\ntravel voucher form which shall be provided by the Secretariat.
\n5.3.2 Other Meetings and Conferences
\n5.3.2.1 The President is the primary representative of the organization for purposes of invitations,
\nevents and appearances. Where appropriate, and to save costs, a designated individual from
\nan NMA member country in the region could be asked to represent the WMA.
\n5.3.2.2 A request to represent the WMA should include an opportunity to speak or moderate and
\nshould be of significance to the WMA. Exceptions, such as WMA presence at physician
\ntrials, may be considered.
\n5.3.2.3 Inviting organizations should be asked to send a letter of invitation to WMA headquarters.
\nInvitations are subject to approval by the Chair of Council and the Secretary General. If
\nthere is no consensus, the Executive Committee should be consulted.
\n5.3.2.4 The Chair of Council will seek to evaluate invitations based on policy, advocacy or
\nmembership value to WMA, taking into consideration the cost to the WMA.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n20
\n5.3.2.5 Air or rail fare and reasonable travel expenses are authorized for an approved trip.
\nBusiness class airfare for travel of four hours or more or first class rail fare over one hour
\ntravel is allowed. No per diem will be paid above expenses. Spouse travel is a personal
\nexpense. Any unusual expenses that can be anticipated should be discussed in advance
\nwith the Chair of Council and the Secretary General.
\n5.3.2.6 When representing the WMA at a National Medical Association\u2019s annual meeting, one
\nofficer plus the Secretary General may attend.
\n5.3.2.7 Offers of payment of honorarium by the inviting organization will be accepted and
\ntransferred to the WMA General Fund.
\n5.3.2.8 Those representing WMA are asked to prepare a brief trip report which will be distributed
\nto the Council and other appropriate WMA participants.
\n5.3.2.9 While representing the WMA, the spokesperson will reflect established policy and will
\naddress the priorities of our organization.
\n5.3.2.10 Officers, Members of Council or other individuals from constituent members designated to
\ntravel on official business for the Association shall be entitled to receive a per diem
\nallowance and the reimbursement of travel expenses on the same basis as set out in the
\nforegoing paragraphs.
\n5.3.2.11 As part of the organization\u2019s annual auditing processes, the Treasurer will review a sample
\nof travel expense vouchers for the past year.
\n5.4 Financial Reporting
\n5.4.1 The Treasurer shall report to the Council as well as to the Finance and Planning Committee
\nat their regular mid-year and pre-Assembly meetings. These reports shall include detailed
\nanalysis of:
\na) the Financial Statement of the previous year, to be presented at the first meeting of each year;
\nb) the essentials of financial development of the current year, in particular for investments,
\nincome from membership and investments, expenses for staff and meetings, as well as
\nother financial issues of importance; and
\nc) the Budget for the next year, to be presented at the pre-Assembly meeting of each year.
\n5.4.2 The Treasurer shall, in a timely manner, inform the Secretary General and the Chair of the Finance
\nand Planning Committee of all events that affect the Association finances such that any targets
\nestablished in the budget for the Association’s equity and\/or net result of the year cannot be met.
\n5.5 Policy on the Use of Consultants
\nThe Secretary General is empowered to use consultants to further programs and policies of
\nthe Association authorized by the Council and\/or the General Assembly, provided that any
\nsignificant expenditure on the use of such consultants shall be agreed in consultation with
\nthe Chair of the Finance and Planning Committee (and, if the latter deems it advisable, with
\nthe Committee itself).
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n21
\nChapter 6. Conflict of Interest Policy
\n6.1 Members of the WMA Secretariat and Officers of the Association
\n6.1.1 A conflict of interest can occur when an employee or officer of any organization develops a
\nrelationship, engages in an activity or has a financial interest which might impair his\/her
\nindependence of judgment or influence his\/her decisions or actions concerning the business
\nof the organization. Therefore, members of the Secretariat and Officers of the Association
\nare expected to exercise discretion in their activities and to avoid any situation which might
\nbe subject to question. They are required to preserve and protect WMA assets, which may
\nbe used only for the benefit of the Association and not for personal benefit.
\n6.1.2 In particular, members of the Secretariat and Officers of the Association (and their
\nimmediate families) should avoid holding any financial interest in, or receiving any personal
\nbenefit from, any business which provides services or materials to the WMA. They should
\nnot accept from or give to a person or undertaking with which the WMA does business any
\ngifts, money, bribes or other payment in kind. (This does not preclude the occasional
\nexchanges of courtesies of nominal value between members of the Secretariat or Officers
\nand business associates, nor does it preclude individuals, while flying on WMA business,
\nfrom receiving flight bonus credits in connection with airline incentive programs and using
\nthem for business or personal travel.)
\n6.1.3 Members of the Secretariat may not accept other employment which conflicts with their
\nduties for the WMA or prevents them from giving their best efforts to their WMA posts.
\n6.1.4 Members of the Secretariat and Officers of the Association should avoid personal
\ninvestment transactions that might cause a conflict of interest with their WMA duties and
\nresponsibilities.
\n6.1.5 In case of uncertainty as to whether a particular course of action or a particular situation
\ngives rise to a conflict of interest, a member of the Secretariat or Officer should consult with
\nthe Secretary General (or, in the case of the Secretary General himself\/herself, consult with
\nthe Chair of the Council).
\n6.2 WMA Corporate Relationships
\nIn certain circumstances, the WMA could participate in relationships with corporate bodies
\nif this furthers the WMA\u2019s core purpose. However, the WMA should always retain its
\nindependence, guard its professional values and avoid conflicts of interest. The guidelines in
\nthis section should be used as a starting point for anyone reviewing or developing the
\nWMA\u2019s relationship with outside groups, and should be reviewed from time to time to
\nensure appropriateness and applicability.
\n6.2.1 General Principles
\na) The relationship must preserve or promote trust in the WMA and the medical
\nprofession.
\nb) The relationship must maintain the WMA\u2019s objectivity with respect to health issues.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n22
\nc) The activity must provide benefit to the public\u2019s health, patients\u2019 care or the
\nenhancement of physician professionalism.
\nd) The WMA\u2019s strategic plan must drive the proposed activity.
\n6.2.2 Special Guidelines
\na) Relationships must not permit or encourage influence by the corporate partner on the
\nWMA\u2019s decision-making process.
\nb) Participation in a sponsorship program does not imply the WMA\u2019s endorsement of an
\nentity or its policies.
\nc) To remove any appearance of undue influence on the affairs of the WMA, the WMA
\nshould not depend on funding form corporate relations for core governance activities.
\nd) Funds from corporate relations must not be used to support political advocacy activities.
\ne) The relationship must preserve the WMA\u2019s control over any projects and products
\nbearing the WMA name and logo. The WMA retains editorial control over any
\ninformation produced as part of a corporate \/ externally funded activity.
\nf) Activities should be funded from multiple sources whenever possible.
\ng) The WMA may provide health and medical information, but should not involve itself in
\nthe production and sale of products that claim a health benefit.
\nh) When sponsorships have been received for any part of WMA meetings, full disclosure
\nshould be made of such funding during the meeting.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n23
\nChapter 7. External Relationships and Representation
\n7.1 Communications from Outside Organizations or Individuals
\n7.1.1 In general, it shall be the responsibility of the Secretary General to respond to
\ncommunications from outside organizations and individuals, whatever the form of
\ncommunication used. However, in circumstances which the Secretary General judges to be
\nappropriate, he\/she may delegate the responsibility to another member of the staff.
\n7.1.2 Where a communication is received from an outside organization or individual and it deals
\nwith an issue on which the Association has an established policy, the contents of any
\nresponse from the Association shall conform with that policy.
\n7.1.3 Where a communication is received from an outside organization or individual and it
\nconcerns a constituent association, or the behavior or activities of a member or members of
\nthe medical profession in the country of a constituent association, it shall be referred for
\ncomment initially to the constituent association concerned. Meanwhile, the initial response
\nfrom the WMA shall do no more than acknowledge receipt of the communication, indicating
\nthat it has been referred to the constituent association for comment. In appropriate cases the
\nSecretary General, at his\/her discretion, may refer the author of such a communication
\ndirectly to the constituent association, recommending that the matter might best be handled
\nbilaterally. Where a communication has been referred for comment to a constituent
\nassociation, any comments received from the latter shall be reflected in the subsequent
\ndefinitive response to the originator.
\n7.1.4 Where a request is received from an outside organization or individual for a Standing
\nCommittee, the Council or the General Assembly of the Association to consider a particular
\nmatter relating directly to a constituent association, or the medical profession in the country
\nof that association, the request shall first be referred to the constituent association concerned
\nfor comment. The Chair of Council and the Secretary General shall jointly determine
\nwhether the request shall be included on the Agenda of the Committee, the Council or the
\nAssembly. In making this determination the Chair and the Secretary General shall take into
\naccount the comments of the constituent association concerned. If the request is included on
\nthe Agenda, the comments of the constituent association shall be included on the Agenda
\nalso. If the Chair and the Secretary General determine that the request shall not be included
\non the Agenda, the request shall not be pursued, and the originator should be informed, if
\nappropriate.
\n7.2 Communications requesting establishment of \u00abCooperative Relations\u00bb with the WMA
\n7.2.1 Where a request is received from an outside organization for the official establishment of
\n\u00abcooperative relations\u00bb between the organization concerned and the WMA, the request shall
\nbe referred through the Finance and Planning Committee to the Council for approval.
\n7.2.2 For approval of a request to establish \u00abcooperative relations\u00bb the organization concerned
\nmust be international in scope, it should normally relate to the medical profession or medical
\nscience, and it must not be represented by a constituent member association or by another
\norganization with whom the WMA already has \u00abcooperative relations\u00bb. The requesting
\norganization shall be asked to provide a description of its goals, objectives, activities and, if
\nappropriate, its membership.
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n24
\n7.2.3 If the request is approved, the cooperative arrangements thereafter shall include the regular
\ndispatch of copies of the World Medical Journal and of the annual Report of the Council to
\nthe Assembly. In addition, the organization will receive an annual invitation to send an
\nobserver to the General Assembly of the WMA, with the understanding that any
\nregistrations fees and other expenses shall be paid by the invited organization, unless the
\nfees are specifically waived by the Council.
\n7.3 Media Relations Protocol
\n7.3.1 Principles
\na) All formal public communications will be approved, before their release, by at least two
\nof the following leaders: the President, or President Elect if the President is not
\navailable, Chair of Council, and the Secretary General.
\nb) All press releases, statements, speeches, briefings, and letters to the editor distributed by
\nthe WMA should reflect current WMA policy. No public comment should be made on
\nmatters for which there is no official policy without consultation with and approval by
\nthe Council.
\nc) If public communications relate to a specific issue or activity in a member National
\nMedical Association\u2019s (NMA\u2019s) country or will otherwise directly affect member
\nNMAs, those associations will be allowed to review and comment within a reasonable
\ntime on the communication(s) before release to the media.
\nd) If a communication is released to the media despite the objections of a member NMA,
\nthat association will be notified of the rationale for the release of the communication.
\ne) A final release to the media will be sent to all member NMAs and will be posted on the
\nWMA website in a timely fashion. Members, in turn, are encouraged to forward the
\ncommunications to their national press and relevant publications, with due credit being
\ngiven to the source.
\n7.3.2 Representation and Spokesperson Roles and Responsibilities
\nIn general, representation of the WMA will be guided by the following:
\na) The Chair of Council and Secretary General, in consultation with the President, have
\nthe responsibility for designating a spokesperson who will represent or speak for the
\nWMA on specific occasions.
\nb) When WMA officials are contacted directly by the media or by anyone seeking a
\nstatement of attribution or background information, the official will, as soon as possible,
\nprovide details of any statement made to the WMA media relations staff person.
\nc) Designated spokespersons for the WMA, especially the President, President-Elect,
\nChair of Council and the Secretary-General, must take care that any comments made
\nrepresent those of the WMA as an organization and not the personal views of the
\nspokesperson. To be safe, assume that all comments are made \u201con the record.\u201d
\nWMA Procedures and Operating Policies POP\/Apr2019
\n25
\nd) The highest elected officials of the WMA, i.e., the President and the Chair of Council,
\nare the chief spokespersons of the WMA on issues that reflect new policy, are
\nresponsible for the announcement of new initiatives, and act as representatives during a
\nformal or ceremonial function. The President-Elect and Immediate Past President may
\nalso be called upon to participate in these duties. In general, these leaders act as the
\nprimary ambassadors for the Association and carry general themes to broad audiences
\nthroughout the world.
\ne) The Chair of Council is the primary spokesperson on issues involving WMA
\ngovernance, staff, relationships among the various NMAs, general financial matters, or
\nany matters of an internal nature that might be controversial or confrontational.
\nf) The Secretary General is the primary spokesperson regarding implementation of
\nexisting WMA policy, policies in transition, or new initiatives awaiting consensus. The
\nSecretary General is the primary, though not exclusive, participant in negotiations with
\nkey policy makers in the world health arena.
\nChapter 8. Miscellaneous
\n8.1 Smoking Policy
\nSmoking is not permitted in any meeting room or other area where WMA activities are
\nbeing conducted.
\nChapter 9. Suspension
\nAny one or more of the provisions of the Procedures and Operating Policies may be suspended at
\nany meeting so far as the provision applies specifically to that meeting and subject to the
\naffirmative vote of 2\/3 of the members of the Council present and voting.
\nChapter 10. Amendment
\nAmendment of these Procedures and Operating Policies shall require the affirmative vote of 2\/3 of
\nthe members of the Council present and voting.<\/p>\n"},"caption":{"rendered":"

WMA Procedures and Operating Policies-Apr2019 Procedures and Operating Policies of the World Medical Association These Procedures and Operating Policies were approved by the 186th WMA Council Session in Vancouver, October 2010 and amended by the 188th WMA Council Session in Sydney, April 20111 the 191st WMA Council Session in Prague, April 20122 the 203rd WMA […]<\/p>\n"},"alt_text":"","media_type":"file","mime_type":"application\/pdf","media_details":{},"post":1024,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/WMA-Procedures-and-Operating-Policies-Apr2019.pdf","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12554"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/attachment"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12554"}]}}