BACKGROUND

I.    The PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOCHEMISTRY FEDERATION (FEPAFARBIO) was founded during the First Pan-American Pharmaceutical Congress held at Havana, Cuba on December 8^th, 1948 and definitely established in Lima, Peru on May 19^th, 1952.

II.    FEPAFARBIO was created to promote the postulates approved in the Carta de la Habana and was later reformed in Lima, Peru in December 1951, (Declaración de la Farmacia de América)  and in Caracas, Venezuela in 1969 (Carta Fundamental de la Farmacia en América).

III.    During the assembly carried out in Buenos Aires, Argentina on November 16, 1994 the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOCHEMISTRY FEDERATION, modified its name to PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION (FEPAFAR) to continue with the work of the Federation.

Chapter I

 

FUNCTIONS

Article 1.

 

1 a. MISSION

To represent the pharmaceutical profession in the Americas, providing liaisons and promoting agreements as well as cooperation and participation mechanisms among countries and organizations in order to attain international acknowledgement and the ratification of pharmaceutical responsibilities and fields of action.

 

1 b. VISSION

Be the entity that promotes the presence of the pharmaceutical professional for each of the corresponding fields in the member countries in the Region of the Americas, acting accordingly to the international standards, and benefiting citizens through the promotion of health.

 

1 c. VALUES

•                       Professionalism

•                       Responsibility

•                       Integrity

•                      Development and promotion of scientific knowledge

•                      Unity and cooperation

•                       Leadership

•                       Service spirit

•                      Continuous improvement and innovation

 

Chapter II

 

OBJECTIVES

Article 2. The general objectives of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION are:

1.      To achieve the integration of the representative organizations from the countries in the region of the Americas.

2.      To become a recognized authority for analysis and dissemination of pharmaceutical information for the region.

3.      To promote the development and advancement of the pharmaceutical profession in the Americas through actions such as: a) Promoting a uniform university curriculum to certify the academic

 

qualifications as Pharmaceutist and Pharmaceutical Chemist.

b) Encouraging the establishment in each country of a proper legal framework for the defense and development of the pharmaceutical professions.

c) Encouraging the establishment and development of local and regional schools and legal pharmaceutical associations integrated by Pharmaceutist and Pharmaceutical Chemists.

d) Updating, disseminating and encouraging compliance with the Code of Pan-American Pharmaceutical Ethics among Pharmaceutist and Pharmaceutical Chemists in the Americas.

e) Fighting the illegal practice of the profession, as well as the illegal sale and traffic of medicines. f) Encouraging the study and research in all scientific disciplines within the pharmaceutical curriculum. g) Promoting the organization of Pharmaceutical Congresses in the Americas.

h) Complying with and disseminating the resolutions and actions derived from Congresses as well as from the Assemblies of the PAN­AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION.

i) Attending international pharmaceutical and related professions meetings. j) Submiting pro-health proposals and projects to the governments of the region of the Americas in benefit of their citizens. k) Encouraging the pronouncement in favor of the proper use of

medicines from the pharmaceutical professionals or from their groups. l) Link and integration with similar organizations. m) Defending and strengthening the action fields of the pharmaceutical

professional in all specializations. n) Making statements facing situations that might pose a risk to the normal exercise of the profession.

Chapter III

 

ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP

Article 3. In order to become a member of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION, the associates from each institution (Federations, Confederations, Counsels, Schools, Societies and Associations) must have freely elected their authorities in compliance with their own statutes and must be independent from any political, religious or racial influence.

Article 4. To be eligible for Active Membership of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION, institutions should gather, in each country of the region of the Americas, a large group of pharmaceutical professionals who are recognized by the State and who are representatives of the profession.

Article 5. Aside their local or regional activities, active members are committed to carry out their greatest efforts to maintain the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION. They will also work in their own countries for the recognition of the agreements and decisions derived from the Congresses where applicable, in the sense that the opinion of FEPAFAR is permanently considered as a whole and accepted as a governing organism just like any other international health organism.

Article 6. Based on the abovementioned, the members of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION will try to avoid carrying out international meetings or congresses during the same dates or close to those scheduled by the FEPAFAR, in order not to create any conflict with the Federation congresses or events.

 

CORRESPONDENT MEMBERSHIP

Article 7.  Institutions may be eligible for Correspondent Membership if their request is channeled through active members of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION and accepted by the Board of Directors.

Article 8. Every active or correspondent member country will have the right  vote. Such vote will be cast by the corresponding representative; that is, the president or duly authorized delegate.

Article 9. The Assembly may elect:

a) Honorary Members: Pharmaceutical Entities (academic associations or similar institutions) which are not members of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION and deserve such distinction due to their background and outstanding accomplishments in favor of the profession or of FEPAGAR.

b) Honorary Presidents and Honorary Directors: Previous Presidents and Directors of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION who, on their our merits for the abovementioned entities, deserve such titles.

c) For the election of Honorary Members, Presidents and Assembly Directors, a written proposal should be submitted. At least fifty percent of the active members should be subscribed and such proposal should be approved by two thirds of the active members and correspondent members gathered at the Ordinary or Extraordinary General Assembly of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION.

Article 10.  Honorary Institutions, as well as Honorary Presidents and Honorary Directors, will be accredited with the corresponding certificates.

 

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP

Article 10 A. Due to their professional interest, pharmaceutical colleagues may become individual members of FEPAFAR prior acceptance of the enrollment request as well as the payment of the corresponding membership fees that will allow them to receive the direct benefits and services from FEPAFAR. The individual members who are accepted will receive a certification.  Their rights and duties are established in the corresponding provisions.

Chapter IV

 

MANAGEMENT

Article 11. The PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION management is constituted by:

a) The General Assembly; b) The Board of Directors; c) The Executive Committee (President, Executive Vice-president, Secretariat

and Treasury)

Article 12. The General Assembly is integrated by:

 Active Members  Correspondent Members Honorary Presidents and Executive Committees  Honorary Members Members of the Board of Directors

All members have a right to vote, according to the provisions stipulated in Chapter

III.

The President of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION will have the casting vote, in case of a tie.

Article 13.  The Board of Directors, which will be elected by the General Assembly, is integrated by:

a) A President, who will also act as President of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION.

b) Three (3) Vice-Presidents, one of which will be elected by the Assembly among the South American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Urugay and Venezuela); the second will be elected from among the Central America countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama); the third one, from countries in North America and The Caribbean (Canada, Cuba, U. S., Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic).

c) A Vice-president, a General Secretary and a Treasurer as well as the President of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION elected among the delegates from the Pan-American Congress host country.

d) Directors of the Permanent Sections.

e) The Board of Directors may appoint a staff for management support.

Article 14.  The General Assembly will also appoint substitute members for temporary or definitive absences of the members of the Board of Directors. The substitution will be in the order of election of the substitute members.  The absence of the President will be covered by the Executive Vice-president; the absence of the first Vice-president, by the second Vice-president; and the absence of the latter, by the third Vice-president.  The absence of Section Directors will be covered by the Secretaries of such sections.

Article 15. The General Assembly will establish the order of the elected Vice-Presidents.

Article 16. The members of the Board of Directors will exercise their duties during the period of time between their election and the following Pan-American Congress. If they have been in their positions for more than three (3) years, they should be ratified by the General Assembly of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION or by a mail election.  This confirmation of the Board of Directors of FEPAFAR refers to the specific case when it would not be possible to carry out a Congress in the host or substitute countries, due to extraordinary events or circumstances beyond control, and within the established period.

Article 17.  The General Assembly will ordinarily meet during Pan-American Congresses or other National or International Congresses where active or correspondent members are participating. The General Assembly may gather in extraordinary meetings in the event that most of the active members or the Board or Directors require so.

Article 18.  The ordinary and extraordinary meetings quorum of the General Assembly will always be by simple majority of the active members and correspondent members whose fees are paid up to date.

Article 19.  The Board of Directors will meet in ordinary session before or during each Pan-American Congress in any country of the region and in the host city of the Congress. When required, the Board may carry out extraordinary sessions in the country and city previously agreed.

Article 20.  The minimum quorum required for the ordinary and extraordinary Board of Directors meetings will be by simple majority. 

Article 21.  In the Board of Directors sessions of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION as well as in the Assembly and the Congress engagements, address of politic, religion or racial issues will not be accepted.

Article 22.  Individuals who had been sanctioned due to violations to moral norms or professional ethics by the school or organization they pertain will not be eligible for the Board of Directors and therefore will not attend Congresses.

Article 23. The Board of Directors will manage the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION affairs taking the proper measures to meet the objectives of the organization, in compliance with the present Statute.

Article 24.  The members of the Board of Directors must notify in written to the Secretariat their unavailability to attend a convened meeting.  This notification must be submitted in plenty of time for the President to designate a Substitute Director.

Article 25. The General Assembly and the Board of Directors decisions will be approved by a majority ballot. In case of a tie, the President will have the casting vote.

Article 26. The General Assembly, which is supreme, will have the following powers:

a) Elect the members of the Board of Directors.

b) Elect honorary members, honorary presidents and honorary directors according to the provisions in Chapter III, Article 9.

c) Review the Statute of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION and sanction with its decision, the corresponding modifications if they exist.

d) Take into consideration the proposals of the Board of Directors and the members of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION, agreeing on the proper resolutions and actions.

e) Select a host country for the following Congress, as well as the subsequent venue requested and at least one alternate in each case.

Article 27. The duties of the President are:

a) Preside the General Assembly and Board of Director meetings.

b) Compel observance to this Statute.

c) Carry out the required actions to comply with the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION strategic plan.

Article 28.  The duties of the Vice-President are:

a) Collaborate with the President on the fulfillment of his/her duties.

b) Represent the President, in a temporary basis, in the case of impossibility to attend an activity or event.

Article 29. The duties of the General Secretary, with the intervention of the President, are:

a) Manage the correspondence, files and all issues regarding the Secretariat, with the support of the staff hired for that purpose.

b) The keep the President and the other members of the Board of Directors informed of the processed issues.

c) Process the resolutions and agreements derived from the General Assemblies and the Board of Directors during Congresses.

d) Keep an updated list of the members of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION as well as for the delegations to Congresses, and inform to all member organizations and FEPAFAR Executive Committees.

e) Call to General Assembly and Board of Directors meetings.

f) Co-authorize with the President, the hiring and dismissal of personnel.

Article 30.  The duties of the Treasurer are:

a) Keep custody of all securities and accounting documents of the PAN­AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION, with the support of the personnel hired for that purpose.

b) Supervise the accounting and write the financial statements of the PAN­AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION.

c) Collaborate with the General Secretary in the fulfillment of his/her duties.

Article 31.  The duties of the Vice-President are:

a) Collaborate with the President on the fulfillment of his/her duties and the plans for FEPAFAR. b) Contribute with ideas and actions that tend to improve the development of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION.

Article 31 A. The duties of the Directors are:

a) Collaborate with the Vice-President of the corresponding region in the fulfillment of his/her duties and the plans for the FEDERATION.

Chapter V

 

SPECIAL SECTIONS AND COMISSIONS

Article 32.  The PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION will house six (6) permanent sections for the consideration, study and problems solving related to the teaching, scientific and professional activities of the pharmaceutical professions:

•                       Community Pharmacy

•                      Institutional Pharmaceutical Services

•                      Pharmaceutical Education and Continuous Education

•                       Industrial Pharmacy

•                      Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

•                      Defend and promote the Pharmaceutical profession

 

Article 33. Sections must make it possible through studies, seminars, work meetings, regional encounters and any other viable manifestation, to take into consideration and debate problems that affect each and every section, towards the technical and scientific perfecting. They will promote vote and the conclusions they estimate useful to solve problems of the professional exercise and those related to scientific teaching and research in the corresponding areas.

Article 34. Sections will draw up a plan for the Pan-American Congress Organization Committee and will submit the preliminary programs of the Article 35. Sections are ruled by the following provisions:

a) The Sections will have their own board of directors for internal management purposes. The Executive Committee for each section would be proposed by the Director and approved by the Assembly.

b) Sections may set up sub-sections, prior approval of the Board of Directors, but this sub-sections will not have additional representation on the Board of Directors.

c) Although sections have the authority to draw a plan and develop their specific activities, their resolutions, proposals and recommendations are subordinated to the resolutions and regulations of the Board of Directors.

d) Sections will program their action and will notify the Board of Directors.

e) Sections will submit the inform of their activities to the Secretariat at least three months in advance to the date in which the General Assembly will meet. Conclusions will be submitted to the consideration of the delegates.

f) Sections will be ruled by their own regulations and guidelines approved by the General Assembly of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION. 

Chapter VI

 

CONGRESSES

Article 36. To host a Pan-American Congress, the presidents of delegations should send a written request to the General Assembly, as well as the agreement reached by the boards and assemblies of the active members, including any other credential that guarantees a successful organization and development of such great pharmaceutical event. In case there is not request to host the Congress, the General Assembly will settle the location.

Article 37. The Board of Directors will appoint and may remove, upon request of the host country, the Congress Organization Committee to fully comply with the objective specified in Chapter II, Article 2.

Article 38. From the collected enrollment fees of the members to a congress, ten percent of each enrolled member fees amount will be destined to the Pan-American federation. This situation does not apply to other income generated by the congress such as exhibitions, official support, donations, etc.

Article 39. The host country for a Pan-American Pharmaceutical Congress should appoint the corresponding Organization Committee in a period no longer than six

(6) months after obtaining the host designation.

Article 40. The corresponding Organization Committee for each Pan-American Pharmaceutical Congress should submit, to the Board of Directors of the PAN­AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION, a proposed program of such Congress in a period no longer than one year after the respective host concession.

Article 41. In accordance with the requirements established in the corresponding provisions, a “José Capote Díaz” award  will be conferred to recognize pharmaceuticals by means of a medal during the celebration of each PAN­AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION Congress.

Chapter VII

 

CONTRIBUTIONS

Article 42. The PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION members will contribute with an annual fee, in US Dollars, which will be established by the Board of Directors and approved by the General Assembly. Honorary members, honorary presidents and honorary executive committees will be exempted of enrollment fees to any events sponsored and fostered by FEPAFAR.

Article 43. Those members who could not pay the corresponding fee due to economic difficulties may maintain, if they request so, their active or correspondent membership by offering services to FEPAFAR. The resolution to such request will be made by the Board of Directors.

Article 44. The financial and economic resources of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION include:

a) Contributions from its members.

b) Contributions in congresses, according to the provisions in Chapter VI,

Article 38.

c) Donations.

d) Interest or profits generated from assets property of the PAN-AMERICAN

PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION.

e) Profits generated due to events and services developed by FEPAFAR.

Chapter VIII

GENERAL ARTICLES

Article 45. The PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION will not interfere in the jurisdiction of its members.  Nonetheless, such members have the

Article 46. All positions in the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION will have no right to an economic compensation.  The members of the Board of Directors may charge for traveling expenses, if required in the missions entrusted.

Article 47.  In the case the members of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION infringe the provisions, agreements, resolutions and dispositions established in the present Statute and derived from Congresses and General Assemblies, may be subjected to sanctions by the General Assembly.

Article 48.  The procedure regulations for the General Assembly and the Board of Directors will be adjusted to the rules of the Counsel of the Organization of American States.

Article 49. The Board of Directors will resolve in the case of leaderless situation not considered in the present Statute as well as those cases omitted.

Article 50.  The seat of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION will be settled in the country where the Board of Directors reside (President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer), all of which will remain in the same country, with the possibility to establish a permanent office and staff in a active member country, considered appropriate to the FEPAFAR.

Article 51. The active members and executive committees of the PAN­AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION will submit to the Secretariat any proposal to reform the present Statute in good time to the date they will be considered by the General Assembly, for such proposals to be submitted to the members and executive committee. The approval to reforms is carried out by the General Assembly.

Article 52.  All previous Statutes of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION are therefore revoked.

The present statues were approved by the 2006-2009 First Ordinary General Assembly of the Board of Directors of the PAN-AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL FEDERATION, carried out on May 25, 2007 from 9:00 to 16:00 hrs. at the “Dr. Martínez Paéz” auditorium of the ORTOP Events Center, annex to the Orthopedic Hospital “Frank País”, located in Calle 51 esquina a 202, municipio La Lisa, La Habana, Cuba.